STANDING Brooklyn’s Biggest Booster
BY AMALIA ARMS
The Brooklyn Hospital
celebrated its 175th anniversary
with a waterfront
cocktail party at The
River Café on Wednesday.
To commemorate 175 years
of serving Brooklyn, the
hospital is honoring 175 individuals
and institutions
that have had a lasting impact
in the borough.
“When we were trying
to come up with ideas, we
were struck by how intertwined
the founding
of The Brooklyn Hospital
was with the founding
of Brooklyn,” said Debbie
Niederhoffer, vice president
of The Brooklyn Hospital
Foundation and the
organizer of the event.
“We didn’t just want to
celebrate the hospital, we
wanted to celebrate all of
Brooklyn.”
Niederhoffer called the
evening elegant and upbeat,
and said it was “a
combination of the most
amazing views and the
best cocktails and hors
d’oeuvres.”
The hospital has given
out 28 medals since January
Carlos Naudon, Kriss Roebling, and Ann Elizabeth Fontaine
COURIER L 28 IFE, FEBRUARY 21-27, 2020
of 2019 and Niederhoffer
said, “We plan on
giving out a lot more this
year.”
Among the 10 influential
Brooklynites awarded
Wednesday night was Emily
Warren Roebling, who
oversaw construction of
the span and became the
first person to walk across
the Brooklyn Bridge after
it opened in 1883. Her
great-great grandson,
Kristian, who has been
giving tours of the bridge
for 25 years, accepted the
award on her behalf.
The Roebling family is
well-known for their instrumental
role in the construction
of the Brooklyn Bridge.
John Roebling planned the
bridge, but died before he
could begin construction.
His son, Washington, took
over the project, and the
fi rst steel-wire suspension
bridge in the world was
completed in 1883.
The Brooklyn Hospital
is asking residents of the
borough to nominate the
people and organizations
they would like to see honored.
The women’s bar association honored
Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte
on Feb. 18 Photo by Zoe Freilich
BY TANGERINE CLARKE
The Brooklyn Woman’s Bar
Association honored Assemblywoman
Rodneyse Bichotte, at
its second Annual Black History
Month celebration attended by
scores of judges and lawyers at
its Remsen Street headquarters.
Bichotte, the fi rst African-
American woman, and fi rst
woman period to be nominated
as Kings County Democratic
Party Leader — dubbed ‘party
boss’ — was celebrated for her
excellent achievements and outstanding
community service,
and presented with a plaque,
by President, Meryl Schwartz,
Esq., and in-coming President,
Natoya McGhie, Esq. who also,
read Bichotte’s remarkable biography.
District Attorney Eric Gonzalez
honored and paid tribute
to Bichotte applauding her for
paying a pivotal role, by helping
shape the judiciary.
“Today we honor and acknowledge
her achievements as
the fi rst African-American, and
the fi rst woman to be nominated
as country leader. I have known
Rodneyse for many years. I believe
in her, and I know her decisions
will continue to help Brooklyn
in terms of public safety and
fairness.”
“I will work closely with her
to make sure the message of fairness
and judges rights to speak
out. I will continue to fi ght for
the belief that judges can be fair,
said Gonzales, adding.”
“I am super happy and proud
of you, Rodneyse,” said Gonzalez,
who recalled, while campaigning
for the DA’s offi ce, asking
Bichotte to share her thoughts
about what the justice system
needed to look like, and admits,
that many of the reforms that his
offi ce have implemented over the
last three years came from conversations
he had with the assemblywoman.
BK Hospital honors Roebling family
Bob Catell, Vicki Schneps, and Keith Kinch
Raffaele DiMaggio with Adam Alshawish
Barbara Furman and Earl Weiner Photos by Corazon Aguirre
Legal eagles honor
new Dem Boss