Stevenson-Mathews Named Citizen of the Year

Friends and community leaders gathered to honor Glen Cove resident Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, who received the New Hyde Park-North Shore Elks Lodge No. 2107 Citizen of the Year Award this past weekend. Pictured from left to right (front row): Jim Stevenson-Mathews; Tribute and Honor Foundation Board Member Lydia Wen Rodgers; Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck; Citizen of the Year Award Recipient Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews; New Hyde Park-North Shore Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Chris Petrella; Marine Veteran, former Poet Laureate of Nassau County, and 2023 Tribute and Honor Award Recipient Evelyn Kandel; and Senior Ride Captain with Patriot Guard Riders of New York and Liaison to the Tribute and Honor Foundation Wayne Cohen. Pictured from left to right
(back row): Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Maxine Mayreis; Tribute and Honor Foundation Board Member Angelina Stanco Stone; Vietnam Veteran, former Tribute and Honor Award Recipient, and Commander of VFW Post 347 Howard Stillwagon; Evangelists Merle Richards and Claudette Bryan with Calvary AME Church; and Immediate Past President of Loggia Glen Cove and host of OWWR's "The Italian House Party" radio show, Joe Gallo.

At its April 6th Installation of Officers, the New Hyde Park-North Shore Elks Lodge No. 2107 honored Glen Cove resident Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews as 2025 Citizen of the Year, recognizing his deep commitment to veterans and community service.

Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck presented citations to the three honorees. Pictured from left to right: Officer of the Year Award recipient Anthony Vitale, Kathleen Lang (accepting the posthumous Elk of the Year Award on behalf of her late husband, Robert Giglio), Exalted Ruler Christopher Petrella, Mayor Panzenbeck, Doe Club President Carmen Musmecci, and Citizen of the Year Award recipient Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews.

Stevenson-Mathews is the President and Founder of the Tribute and Honor Foundation, which launched in December 2021. Under his leadership and with strong community support, the Foundation raised nearly $50,000 to help rebuild the Glen Cove VFW following a devastating fire. The organization supports numerous initiatives across Long Island benefiting veterans and their families, and last year established a scholarship in memory of Korean War veteran Ben Farnan. Through its Annual Awards Ceremony, held each year on the first Saturday in February, the Foundation, to date, has honored nearly 40 veterans and veteran supporters from across Long Island.

Friends and community leaders attend in support of Citizen of the Year Award recipient Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews. L–R (seated): Calvary AME Evangelists Claudette Bryan and Merle Richards; Jim Stevenson-Mathews; Tribute and Honor Foundation Board Member Angelina Stanco-Stone; Senior Ride Captain with the Patriot Guard Riders of New York and Liaison to the Tribute and Honor Foundation, Wayne Cohen; Marine Veteran and Tribute and Honor Award Recipient Evelyn Kandel; Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce President Dr. Maxine Mayreis; and Tribute and Honor Foundation Board Member Lydia Wen Rodgers. L–R (standing): Vietnam Veteran and VFW Post 347 Commander Howard Stillwagon; President of the Tribute and Honor Foundation and Citizen of the Year Award Recipient, Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews; and Glen Cove Mayor Pam Panzenbeck.

Installation of Lodge officers for the 2025 term including Exalted Ruler Christopher Petrella, Esteemed Leading Knight Ray Smolenski, Esteemed Loyal Knight Anthony Vitale, Esteemed Lecturing Knight Thomas Staab, Secretary Kathleen Lang, Treasurer Robert Ponzo, Esquire Gio Ramos, Chaplain Carmela Narducci, Inner Guard Peter Guadagno, Tiler Regina Vitale, and Trustees Brian Diaz, Joe Sanchez, Mike Pellegrino, Jose Jacobs, and Leon Jankowski.

In addition, Stevenson-Mathews serves as Community Engagement Officer for the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. His many honors include the Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award, the North Shore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Award, Calvary AME Church’s Leadership and Fellowship Award, Comité Cívico Argentino’s Community Leader of the Year Award, and VFW Post 347’s Meritorious and Distinguished Service Award.

New Hyde Park–North Shore Elks Lodge Exalted Ruler Chris Petrella (left) joins Mayor Pam Panzenbeck (center) in presenting Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, President of the Tribute and Honor Foundation and Citizen of the Year Award recipient, a citation on behalf of the City of Glen Cove.

Also honored at the event were Anthony Vitale, named Officer of the Year for his ongoing work supporting veterans through the Lodge and the VA, including organizing events and delivering holiday gifts to residents at the St. Albans VA facility; and Robert Giglio, posthumously named Elk of the Year for his years of dedicated service to the Lodge and veteran outreach. The award was accepted by his wife, Kathleen Lang, who serves as secretary of the Lodge.
The evening also included the installation of officers for the 2025 term and highlighted the Lodge’s ongoing commitment to service and community.
For more information about the Lodge, please visit nhpnselks.com.