WESTy Winners Shine at Award Ceremony
| 21 Jan 2015 | 05:18

Straus News President Jeanne Straus with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., who spoke about the necessary cooperation between community and law enforcement when accepting his WESTY Award. Photo by Mary Newman

Ken Biberaj, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and WESTY Award winner Danny Koch of Town Shop. Photo by Mary Newman

Public Advocate Letitia James with WESTY Award winner Noel Auld, a certifed nursing assistant at Jewish Home Lifecare. Photo by Mary Newman

Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal with WESTY Award winner, and fellow animal lover, Rita McMahon, the founder of the Wild Bird Fund. Photo by Mary Newman

Council Member Helen Rosenthal with WESTY Award winner Clinton Neils, the vice president and general manager of the Beacon Theatre. Photo by Mary Newman

Captain Michael Falcon of the 20th precinct accepted his WESTY Award and credited the neighborhood’s drop in crime to his hard-working officers. Photo by Mary Newman

State Senator Bill Perkins introduced WESTY Award winner Danny Wasserman of Tip Top Shoes. Photo by Mary Newman

John Herrold (center) of the Riverside Park Conservancy at the West Side Spirit WESTY ceremony. Photo by Mary Newman

Danny Koch, of lingerie store Town Shop, with his wife and children at the WESTY Awards. Photo by Mary Newman

(From left) Vincent Gardino, Chief Revenue Officer of Straus News; Jeanne Straus, President of Straus News; City Council Member Helen Rosenthal of the Upper West Side; Straus News repoter Daniel Fitzsimmons at the WESTY Awards. Photo by Mary Newman

Rachel Moore received a WESTY Award for her work as the CEO of the American Ballet Theatre. Photo by Mary Newman

WESTY Award winner Clinton Neils (left) of the Beacon Theatre talks with West Side Spirit Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope at the ceremony. Photo by Mary Newman

City Council Member Mark Levine of the Upper West Side (left) with Ben Wexler-Waite, staff member for State Senator Brad Hoylman, at the WESTY Awards. Photo by Mary Newman

Upper West Side Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell at the WESTY Awards. Photo by Mary Newman

From left, West Side Spirit Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope with WESTY Award winner Captain Michael Falcon of the 20th precinct, who was joined by fellow NYPD officers at the ceremony. Photo by Mary Newman

WESTY Award winner Laura Maioglio, owner of Barbetta restaurant, with her husband Günter Blobel, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. Photo by Mary Newman

From left, Jewish Home Lifecare’s senior vice president of marketing and communications Bruce Nathanson, with WESTY Award winner Noel Auld, a certified nursing assistant at Jewish Home Lifecare, and Upper West Side City Council Member Mark Levine. Photo by Mary Newman

Over 120 Upper West Side neighbors came out to honor this year’s WESTY Award winners at the John Jay College Shiva Gallery. Photo by Mary Newman

Doug Blonsky, WESTY Award winner and President of the Central Park Conservancy (center) with Upper West Side City Council Member Mark Levine. Photo by Mary Newman

Attendees of the WESTY Awards mingled before the ceremony at the Shiva Gallery at John Jay College. Photo by Mary Newman

WESTY Award winner Danny Wasserman, right, of Tip Top Shoes. Photo by Mary Newman

At center, WESTY Award winner Rita McMahon, founder of the Wild Bird Fund. Photo by Mary Newman

The West Side Spirit’s 2014 WESTY Awards were held at the Shiva Gallery at John Jay College on the Upper West Side. Photo by Mary Newman

Mike Mishkin of Love Where You Live Realty, which focuses on Upper West Side real estate, accepting his WESTY Award. Photo by Mary Newman

Upper West Side Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal introduces WESTY Award winner Rita McMahon, founder of the Wild Bird Fund. Photo by Mary Newman

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., a WESTY Award winner, with Public Advocate Letitia James at the ceremony. Photo by Mary Newman

From left, Straus News Chief Revenue Officer Vincent Gardino, West Side Spirit Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., Straus News President Jeanne Straus, and Public Advocate Letitia James. Photo by Mary Newman

Rita McMahon of the Wild Bird Fund accepts her WESTY Award. Photo by Mary Newman

West Side Spirit Editor-in-Chief Kyle Pope introduces the 2014 WESTY Awards. Photo by Mary Newman

Straus News President Jeanne Straus with WESTY Award winner Ellen V. Futter, the President of American Museum of Natural History. Photo by Mary Newman

Laura Maioglio, owner of Barbetta restaurant, accepts her WESYT Award and jokes with the audience that now her Nobel Prize-winning husband has something to be jealous of. Photo by Mary Newman

Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History, accepts her WESTY Award. Photo by Mary Newman

From left, Straus News Chief Revenue Officer Vincent Gardino, WESTY Award winner Laura Maioglio of Barbetta restaurant, Straus News President Jeanne Straus, and Maioglio’s husband Günter Blobel. Photo by Mary Newman

Upper West Side City Council Member Helen Rosenthal with WESTY Award winner Ellen V. Futter, President of the American Museum of Natural History. Photo by Mary Newman

Straus News President Jeanne Straus with WESTY Award winner Stephan Russo, Executive Director of Goddard Riverside Community Center, with his wife and son. Photo by Mary Newman
The 2014 WESTY Awards were held last Wednesday at the Shiva Gallery at John Jay College on the West Side, honoring 17 people who have made significant contributions to their community.
More than 100 elected officals, community leaders and residents came out to applaud their neighbors’ achievements at the ceremony, which was marking its 10th year.
The evening was emceed by Vivan Lee, of NY1.