Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Tribute and Honor Foundation recognized its 2027 award recipients at its annual announcement event at the North Shore Historical Museum. Five North Shore residents are among those receiving awards at the Tribute and Honor Awards Ceremony and Fundraising Gala in February.
Founded in 2021, the Tribute and Honor Foundation’s original mission was to raise funds to help rebuild Glen Cove’s James E. Donahue Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 347 after it was severely damaged by a fire. The VFW Post was restored, and since then, the foundation has become a nonprofit and begun initiatives, like the Ben Farnan Scholarship, to honor the community’s veterans.
Sea Cliff resident Kate Csillag will receive the Homefront Award, given to an individual or organization for outstanding service to the veteran community. Csillag, founder of Knit and Crochet with Kate, hosts knit and crochet groups in community spaces like the Glen Cove Senior Center, local libraries and Congregation Tifereth Israel.
Last year, Csillag, along with the Glen Cove City Hall Knitting Club, organized a Veterans Day initiative to collect hand-knit and purchased items like scarves, hats, sweaters, blankets and underwear for disabled veterans. They set a goal of 1,111 donated items, to match the Veterans Day date of Nov. 11. Csillag and the knitting club exceeded that goal, collecting 1,656 items.
Csillag joked at the announcement event that she is better with crochet needles than words but said she was honored to be recognized.
“I just want to point out that it really is about all of us joining together, and I love the fact that everybody, in their own way, finds a way,” Stevenson-Mathews said. “And to me, that is the crux of what we try to do.”
United States Army veteran Angelo Grande, of Glen Head, was named the 2027 Legacy Award recipient. The Legacy Award is given to a veteran for their longtime commitment to serving fellow veterans and their community.
Grande spent three years and six months on active duty in the 1960s before transitioning to the reserves. He is a retired North Shore High School teacher and former Nassau County American Legion commander. He has also been the president of Loggia Glen Cove No. 1016, an organization dedicated to preserving Italian culture and tradition.
“It is my privilege and honor to receive this prestigious award,” Grande said at the event. “I’ve worked many years to serve my community, my country, and my veterans, many organizations, and it’s been my privilege to serve and to honor all my veterans, especially my veterans.”
In what Stevenson-Mathew called a “family tradition,” Glen Cove’s Vincent Martinez Jr. was named the recipient of the Impact Award, given to a veteran who has made a strong impact in his or her community through service in the military and as a first responder. Martinez’s father, Vincent Sr., received the Legacy Award in 2023. The United States Navy veteran and firefighter died in January.
Stevenson-Mathews noted that other father-son duos have been honored in the past and other families have had multiple relatives recognized as well.
“It runs through the blood of these families, and it is just so beautiful to see,” he said, “and we are so very honored to be naming this individual for this particular award.”
Martinez is a United States Marine Corps veteran and current Glen Cove firefighter and emergency medical technician. He is also a working supervisor with the city’s Department of Public Works. Martinez thanked the foundation, his family and fellow firefighters who attended the event.
“I really appreciate it, and I’ll save my awesome speech for Feb. 6,” he joked.
The foundation recognizes a veteran who does volunteer work supporting fellow veterans and their community with the Volunteer Award. United States Army National Guard and Reserve veteran Rene Cintron, from the Locust Valley area, was named the 2027 recipient.
Cintron is a member of the Howard A. Van Wagner American Legion Post 962. Among his volunteer efforts are helping to maintain veteran monuments and assisting with the community’s annual Memorial Day parade.
He spoke at the event about doing what he can to support the veterans in his community.
“We are asked to do things” Cintron said, “and we just go.”
Bayville’s John Schaefer will receive the foundation’s Leadership Award, given to a veteran for exemplary leadership in serving veterans and the community.
After serving in the Marine Corps Reserves, Schaefer became a Nassau County Police detective. He is also a member of the Robert H. Spittel American Legion Post 1285 and has held multiple leadership positions, including post commander.
Schaefer shared at the event that his five brothers, his father and his son all served in the military as well, making veterans particularly important to him.
“They’re really special to me,” he said, “and they always will be.”
Honorees will receive their awards at the ceremony at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Crescent Beach Club in Bayville.
