50 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • AUGUST 19, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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JFK Rotary Club honors M/WBE director of New Terminal One project
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Southeast Queens business and community
leaders joined Councilwoman Selvena
Brooks-Powers in honoring Kimberly
Hardy, the M/WBE director for the New
Terminal One at JFK International Airport.
Hardy served as the honoree for the
2021 JFK Rotary Annual Ladies Golf
Outing and Day Spa with proceeds going
to her selected charities, LIFE Camp Inc.
and the Aviation High School Education
Foundation.
“Th e last 15 months have certainly been
challenging for the aviation industry and
businesses of all shapes and sizes. Th at is
why the JFK Rotary Club remains committed
to the aviation community,” said Nancy
Vargas, president of the JFK Rotary Board.
“Th e board members of the JFK Rotary
Club decided to move forward with their
annual Ladies Golf Outing and are proud
to host this charitable event that will touch
the lives of those within our surrounding
communities at JFK. As a result, it was a
natural decision to honor Ms. Kimberly
Hardy because of her dedication to the
diversity and inclusion management of the
New Terminal One Project. Ms. Hardy is
a dedicated leader in her industry, and we
are proud to donate proceeds to her charity
of choice, Life Camp.”
Hardy is responsible for ensuring that
diversity, equity and inclusion remain
business-critical priorities for the New
Terminal One project and is well regarded
in the community for her inspirational and
engaging leadership.
Hardy developed her knowledge in
diversity and inclusion by working with
government entities at federal, state and
local levels, developers, contractors, fi nancial
institutions and community groups
during all construction stages to improve
their diversity and inclusion metrics.
“We are delivering one of the most
important infrastructure projects across
the globe at the New Terminal One at JFK
International Airport. To that end, we are
committed to driving innovation, excellence
and diversity and inclusion,” said
Dr. Gerrard P. Bushnell, executive chair of
Th e New Terminal One Development at
JFK. “We are fortunate to have Kim Hardy
managing diversity and inclusion for Th e
New Terminal One. Even during our most
challenging times navigating the COVID-
19 pandemic, Kim has ensured that Th e
New Terminal One is a business where our
DNA refl ects the importance of building
partnerships embracing and refl ecting the
diversity of the JFK-area community.”
South Jamaica-based LIFE Camp provides
youth and families that have been
impacted by violence the valuable tools
they need to stay in school and out of the
criminal justice system. Th ey provide programs
and other holistic approaches to
reinforce self-esteem and respect for life
among one another and also connect and
mobilize youth to prevent and heal from
violence in New York City’s most underserved
communities.
“We here at LIFE Camp extend our
thanks to Kimberly Hardy, the JFK Rotary
Club and the New Terminal One at JFK for
supporting our organization’s work on the
ground,” LIFE Camp founder Erica Ford
said. “We are committed to working closely
with our partners and the community
not only on violence intervention programs
but also job development and training
for employment opportunities with the
JFK redevelopment.”
Brooks-Powers presented Hardy with
citations and proclamations from several
elected offi cials representing southeast
Queens for her work on the multibilliondollar
project.
“I am honored to receive this award and
to be recognized by the JFK Rotary Club
for our diversity and inclusion work on
Th e New Terminal One at JFK redevelopment
project,” Hardy said. “At the New
Terminal One at JFK, we are looking for
our partners to be strategic and innovative
in how they work with MWBE and
LBE fi rms to build capacity, grow and
employ a diverse workforce. Th is expectation
extends to all segments of our project:
fi nance, design and construction, operations
and commercial activity. Th ese commitments
permeate everything we do as
we drive innovation and performance at
Th e New Terminal One at JFK and deliver
a world-class terminal.”
Bayside children’s hospital celebrates graduation for 34 preschool students
BY JENNA BAGCAL
jbagcal@schnepsmedia.com
@jenna_bagcal
A Bayside hospital held a festive graduation
ceremony for its preschool students
with chronic medical conditions.
Teachers, nurses, therapists and families
at St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital celebrated
34 students’ achievements on
Th ursday, Aug. 12. Th e graduates participated
in a special performance of “If
You’re Happy and You Know It,” along
with an offi cial graduation ceremony and
arts and craft s activities.
“Congratulations to our Pre-School
Graduates,” St. Mary’s said in a tweet.
According to the hospital, the preschool
at St. Mary’s is one of the only public preschools
in New York dedicated to educating
special needs children with the most complex
illnesses, from traumatic brain injuries
to rare genetic conditions. Th e school
adheres to all state learning standards
and its team consists of special educators,
speech-language pathologists, occupational
and physical therapists, a social worker, a
psychologist and teaching assistants.
Th e school was forced to shut down
during the pandemic but reopened virtually
in September 2020 and in person in
October 2020.
Photo courtesy of JFK Rotary Club
Kimberly Hardy (center) is honored by the JFK Rotary Club for her work as the M/WBE director for the
multibillion-dollar New Terminal One project.
Photos courtesy of St. Marys Children’s Hospital
St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital held a graduation for its preschoolers
on Aug. 12.
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