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Hackensack Riverkeeper® Celebrates Another Year Of Activism Honors Borg, Goldberg, Zoffinger and Attorney Terris The citizen-steward of the Hackensack River watershed celebrated its sixth Annual Awards Celebration And Sustainable SeafoodFest at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe on October 19. Captain Bill Sheehan, executive director, and the Trustees and staff of Hackensack Riverkeeper® came together with more than 200 colleagues, friends and guests to celebrate another year of successful activism and to bestow honors on several friends. “This has been and continues to be an amazing year,” said Captain Sheehan. “From a victory at the Supreme Court to our record-breaking program successes, we are working tirelessly on behalf of our watershed, its people and the health of our shared habitat.” Each year the organization holds this fundraiser to recognize several individuals for their contributions to the protection, preservation and restoration of the Hackensack River watershed. · Malcolm A. Borg, Chairman of the North Jersey Media Group, was honored for Excellence in Media/Arts. As publisher of The Record, the Herald News and a host of weekly newspapers, Borg “chronicles the ongoing recovery of the Hackensack River.” · Carl A. Goldberg, Chairman of the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority, and George Zoffinger, the Authority’s President and CEO, was recognized for Excellence in Public Service. Due to the leadership of these two men, the 587-acre Richard P. Kane Natural Area (formerly the Empire Tract) was permanently preserved earlier this year. · Bruce J. Terris, founder of the Washington D.C-based law firm of Terris, Pravlik and Millian, received Hackensack Riverkeeper’s® first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for his nearly 50 years of service on behalf of the poor, the marginalized and the environment. Earlier this year, the firm and Hackensack Riverkeeper® won a major victory when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review a lower court decision forcing Honeywell International to clean up 34 acres of chromium contamination in Jersey City. “It was Bruce, his partners and his staff attorneys who took on Honeywell - one of the world’s largest multinational corporations - and won,” explained Captain Bill. “When they wanted to leave millions of tons of contamination on the banks of our river, Bruce and his firm stood with Hackensack Riverkeeper® and the people of Jersey City and told them ‘NO!’” The event also celebrated the 10th Anniversary of both the Eco-Cruise and Urban Fishing programs, the completion of the Coles Brook Streambank Restoration project in Hackensack and the successful fight against illegal off-road vehicle use in the Meadowlands. In between the awards ceremonies and the celebrating, the attendees were treated to cocktails, a variety of appetizers by Whole Foods Markets of Edgewater, and a gourmet dinner featuring sustainably harvested seafood. The evening ended with a delicious assortment of desserts provided by Elegant Desserts of Lyndhurst, NJ. This was the first year that Hackensack Riverkeeper’s® annual celebration was held at the Glenpointe and proceeds were doubled from the year before. “My special thanks go to the members of our Benefit Committee who really stepped up and made this evening such an incredible success,” said Captain Bill. “All of them took time from their very busy schedules to lend a hand and for that I am forever grateful.”
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