NIA Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The St. Rosalia-Regina Pacis Neighborhood Improvement Association (NIA) held its annual awards dinner to celebrate twenty five years of service to the community and recognize the outstanding contributions of community members on October 5, 2006. The festivities, held at Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island, drew a crowd of over 500 guests to acknowledge the achievements of the organization for two and a half decades and this year’s honorees.
 “The NIA has certainly grown over the past twenty five years,” said NIA Chairman Mary Anne Cino. “We have become an organization that provides much needed after school programming for children, support services for the elderly and important counseling for families. Our board and staff do a wonderful job of delivering these cost free services to the people of our community. They should be commended for the job they’ve done and I’m happy we are able to do so.” said Ms. Cino.

This year’s honorees included “Man of the Year” award recipient Police Chief Joseph Fox, the Commander of NYPD Patrol Borough of Brooklyn South; “Educational Leadership” award recipient Laura Feijoo, Deputy Superintendent of Region #7 of the New York City Department of Education; “Outstanding Business Leadership” award recipient Michael Berman, Chief Operating Officer of Fillmore Real Estate; “Distinguished Brooklynite” award recipient Joe Rollino, Brooklyn’s Centenarian strongman who has been an inspiration to many people during his life; “Humanitarian” award recipients John Talmadge and Ralph Cimmino, Shop Stewards of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, Local 83; and “Community Leadership” award recipients Chairman Craig Eaton and District Manager Josephine Beckmann of Community Board #10.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz (l.) presents proclamation to NIA Chairman Mary Anne Cino (c.) and President Michael Bove (r.) that designated October 5, 2006 NIA Day in Brooklyn in honor of 25 years of service to the community.

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Man of the Year, Chief Joseph Fox
(center) with his wife Eileen and
NIA President Michael Bove.

Carlo Scissura (l.)  introducing Deputy Superintendent Laura Feijoo (c.) as NIA Chairman Mary Anne Cino (second from l.), NIA Board Member Ida D’Amelio (second from r.) and NIA President Michael Bove (r.) look on.

NIA Board Member Mario Costantino poses with “The Great” Joe Rollino, awarded the Distinguished Brooklynite Award at this year’s NIA dinner.