LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Randi Garay upon the occasion of her
designation by the Bensonhurst West End Community Council as the recipi-
ent of the Parent of the Year Award at its Golden Anniversary Gala on
March 24, 2011

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality and
character of life in the Empire State are greatly enriched by the faith-
ful and generous service of those who distinguish themselves in service
to their community; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Randi Garay upon the occasion of her designation by the Bensonhurst West
End Community Council as the recipient of the Parent of the Year Award
at its Golden Anniversary Gala, to be held at The Riviera in Brooklyn on
Thursday, March 24, 2011; and
WHEREAS, The Bensonhurst West End Community Council (BWECC) proudly
acts as a guardian of the community, working diligently and creatively
to improve the quality of life of the community's residents, merchants,
and children; and
WHEREAS, This year as it celebrates 50 years of service at its Golden
Anniversary Gala, the Bensonhurst West End Community Council joyfully
honors those who have distinguished themselves in service to their
community as well as those who have supported the Council and have
helped to further its efforts; and
WHEREAS, Randi Garay truly merits this high honor; and
WHEREAS, Randi Garay, the daughter of Ilene and Ned Kuskin, lived in
Bay Parkway until the family moved to Harway Terrace where her grandpar-
ents lived; she attended PS 128, Seth Low IS 96, and Dewey High School;
she met her husband Eddie when she was working for AllState Insurance
and they too eventually moved into an apartment at Harway Terrace; and
WHEREAS, Randi Garay, her sisters Erica and Robyn, her mother Ilene
and her grandmother Sylvia are all dedicated, hard working, tenacious
women with incredibly close family ties, all of whom happily help raise
Randi Garay's son, Eddie Jr.; and
WHEREAS, When Randi Garay's uncle, Firefighter Alan Feinberg, lost his
life in the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001, the trag-
edy devastated the family, as it did all the 3,000 families that lost
loved ones on that tragic day, but in Randi and her family's case, it
united them even more strongly as they actively worked to make Ground
Zero a holy ground; and
WHEREAS, Because her son Alan was a Firefighter, Grandma Sylvia always
had a soft spot in her heart for the local firehouses and firefighters
and would bring cake and goodies to them; Randi would drive her and soon
was inspired to help others, often shopping for elderly neighbors and
always lending a helping hand when needed; and
WHEREAS, Randi Garay was, in addition, quick to volunteer to help set
up the 9-11 Memorial Flagpole at Harway Terrace Co-op after 9-11; she
again volunteered her services to help get Bay 50th Street renamed Alan
Feinberg Way; the sowing of this seed of activism followed her to PS 212
when Eddie Jr. started Pre-K in 2004 and then entered the Kindergarten
Sigma Program, where she joined the PTA and volunteered to sell ice
cream to help augment the school's funds and, subsequently, was elected
President of the organization; and
WHEREAS, As President of PS 212's PTA, Randi Garay is a valued member
of the school leadership team; she attends Community Education Council
21's monthly meetings and is a member of the President's Council; she

also attended BWECC's monthly meetings and is now a welcome and
respected member of its Executive Board; and
WHEREAS, When Randi Garay moved back to Harway Terrace she and her
Harway/PTA mothers set up scary Halloween displays outside and on the
way into her apartment; they were so good and so much fun that she and
the other mothers asked the Harway Terrace Board of Directors for
permission to hold various Holiday Parties in the Co-op's Community
Room; the first such Holiday Party was an unqualified success and drew
40 happy children, much to the delight of their watching parents and
grandparents and, as so often happens, it was this party for children
which brought the various ethnic groups of the 360 Harway Terrace Co-op
families together; and
WHEREAS, Whether it is to set up a collation, distribute meeting
flyers, cooperate in getting a task completed, attend a community rally,
or just volunteer, Randi Garay never refuses; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals, such as Randi Garay, who work to meet the needs of their community
and its citizens with diligence and compassionate commitment to improv-
ing the quality of life in the community are brought to our attention,
they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of the
great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Bensouhurst West End Community Council and to applaud Randi
Garay upon the occasion of her designation by the Council as the recipi-
ent of the Parent of the Year Award at BWECC's Golden Anniversary Gala
on March 24, 2011; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Randi Garay.