Teaneck Creek Conservancy Honors Park Advocates

Thursday night’s Third Annual Teaneck Creek Conservancy Sustainability Dinner recognized three individuals for their efforts in preserving and protecting Teaneck’s ecological art park.

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, TCC EcoArt Chair Anthony Buscetti and United Water executive Richard Henning were handed multiple certificates at the ceremony held at Knickerbocker Country Club in Tenafly.

The honorees were given:

• The 2011 TCC Award for Environmental Excellence
• State certificate of commendation
• Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholder certificate of commendation
• Teaneck Township Council certificate of commendation

TCC President Adam Strobel thanked the various volunteers and corporate sponsors who maintain and sustain the park, as well as President Perry Rosenstein and Puffin Foundation Executive Director Gladys Rosenstein for their continued support to both the Puffin and TCC organizations.

“Our park is a palette; it provides an opportunity for artists to come from all around the country – not just here in Bergen County – to come and do their specialized art projects, to make our park a unique place, and to help communicate about nature,” he said. “Our park is very important.”

Perry Rosenstein, who’s married to Gladys, presented the TCC award to Weinberg, whom he called a friend and neighbor (they actually live near each other).

It was noted in a statement that throughout her legislative career Weinberg has supported measures to preserve the state's environment , including working with the TCC on watershed preservation issues and more recently, working to.

“Loretta’s husband [Irwin] also saved the tree many years ago when it was about to be cut down – the tree that’s now being called Irwin’s tree,” said Rosenstein.

Weinberg thanked the Rosensteins for their service to the TCC and praised those in the crowd who helped to transform the TCC into what it is today.

“How you rescued this land that used to be a construction dumping site, with old trucks and tires and junk of all kind, is remarkable,” she said. “And what’s even more remarkable is the appreciation for the artwork and incorporating so much of what we all thought was just kind of things that spoiled the landscape into pieces of art along the way.”

She told the crowd that it’s not going to be easy to fight for the environment.

“Not only because of budget problems but because people have other priorities, so we need to be vigilant, we need to be advocates, we need to be outspoken, and we need to engage all of our elected officials,” she said.

“Whether your actions have Statewide implications or whether they preserve the quality of life around the block, I strongly believe that it’s always worthwhile to stand up for the environment,” the senator said in a statement.

Gladys Rosenstein said Buscetti is an invaluable friend and volunteer to the TCC. “Tony is an outstanding grant writer and has helped the TCC receive numerous grants,” she said.

The TCC highlighted Buscetti’s 40 years of service to the Union City School District before retiring eight years ago, his role as a consultant to the New Jersey State Council on The Arts and the State Department of Education, and his work with the Teaneck elementary and junior high schools on conservancy activities.

“I love the conservancy because when you leave the world of our cares and you enter the conservancy, there’s a transformation that happens,” Buscetti said. “You shed your skin and all your problems. It truly is a sacred space.”

TCC Board Vice President George Reskakis thanked Henning for a utility vehicle that helps the park’s Weed Warriors to keep the trails open.

“We used to carry woodchips wheel barrel by wheel barrel up to ¾ of a mile out on to the trails to keep them properly covered,” Reskakis said. “Rich helped to arrange through his company for us to receive a grant for the money to purchase the vehicle, and it has truly been a godsend.”

Henning joined United Water in 1990 and serves as senior vice president of communications.

“It’s through groups like the TCC, the Hackensack Riverkeeper and Bergen Swan – it’s by helping their work and forwarding whatever contributions we can make – whether they’re in-kind services, whether they’re personnel we can help in terms of volunteerism, and whether there are dollars we can help them out for what’s necessary for them to carry out their missions – is something that we take seriously,” Henning said.