Arnold B. Gardner and Judge Ann T. Mikoll among annual Red Jacket

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Oct 27, 2004 by Fred Petersen

On Tuesday, Oct. 12, the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society hosted its 47th annual awards dinner in the Mary Seaton Room of Kleinhans Music Hall.

Arnold B. Gardner, a senior partner with Kavinoky & Cook, former New York State Appellate Division, Third Department Judge Ann T. Mikoll, and Karen and Richard Penfold, local philanthropists, were presented with the Red Jacket Award for their contributions to Erie County's heritage.

Also presented was the The Daniel B. Niederlander Award to the North Tonawanda History Museum for its heritage programming, and Dr. V. Roger Lalli was given the Owen B. Auspurger Award for his service to local history.

Red Jacket Awards

The Red Jacket Award was first presented in 1957 to local historian Roy Nagle. The annual distinction recognizes a quiet, continual, unbroken devotion to our civic progress and needs by one who ... has thereby enlarged our awareness of our heritage in order that it may be built upon for the enrichment of our future, according to the Historical Society.

This year's awards dinner was attended by more than 250 people, including Congressman John LaFalce and former University at Buffalo President William Greiner, both of whom received the 2002 Red Jacket Award.

Gardner was presented the award for his outstanding career in the law, commitment to education and dedication to heritage. A member of the New York Board of Regents and trustee of the New York Archives Partnership Trust, Gardner has served as trustee for the State University of New York, and was an important figure in the Buffalo Public Schools desegregation case.

Gardner supports many causes, serving as a member of the National Board of Governors of the American Jewish Committee, the New York Holocaust Memorial Commission, as president of the Jewish Family Service of Erie County and past president of Temple Beth Zion in Buffalo.

Judge Mikoll was recognized for her pioneering career in law and dedication to Polish heritage. She was the first woman appointed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, and the first female presiding justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department.

Judge Mikoll has served on the board of trustees for St. Bonaventure University, Villa Maria College and the American Judges' Association. She is also a great supporter of Polish heritage, serving as president of the Chopin Singing Society and as trustee for the Kosciuszko Foundation, Western New York chapter. She has twice been honored as Woman of the Year by the Am-Pol Eagle and is past recipient of the Pride of Polonia award given by the Polish American Congress.

The Penfolds were recognized for their contributions to local education, giving generously to Canisius College, Buffalo State College, Alfred University, Hilbert College, St. Mary's High School, Immaculata Academy, Our Lady of Victory Homes, the BISON Fund, and the Diocese of Buffalo Education Foundation.

They have sponsored numerous charity events, such as the American Heart Association Heart Ball and the Billy Talbert Tennis Tournament benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, both personally and through the Penfold Family Foundation.

Richard is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of Kenmore Mercy Hospital and Regent of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Karen has served as president of the Council of the American Heart Association, and is currently chairman of the Sisters of Mercy Development Council.

Niederlander & Auspurger Awards

The Owen P. Auspurger Award is presented annually by the Historical Society to an individual for outstanding service to the cause of local history. Lalli was presented with this distinction for his work capturing Buffalo's character and architecture in the Buffalo My City collection of photo-realistic watercolors. Containing 42 watercolors, the Buffalo My City collection took Lalli more than 10 years to complete, and has been featured at the Historical Society and the Albright Knox Art Gallery, with reproductions being offered worldwide.

Lalli is also author of The Buffalo Architectural Watercolors, which includes the entire collection and commentary on the history and design of the featured buildings in the series. The collection can be viewed at www.buffalomycity.com.

The Daniel B. Niederlander Award recognizes outstanding programming by a local heritage organization, and was accepted by the administrator of the North Tonawanda History Museum, Donna Neal. In just over one year, the museum has established a volunteer, not-for- profit organization which will serve as the groundwork for its future museum. The museum sponsors educational and awareness-raising activities with area schools, youth groups, the North Tonawanda Public Library, other historic organizations, and local businesses.

The museum recently moved into donated facilities on Oliver Street, with plans to build a museum facility on the Tonawanda waterfront. Its mission is to assemble, preserve, protect, and exhibit collections pertaining to the history of North Tonawanda, its people and community life, focusing especially on our rich immigrant heritage and role as an important shipping and manufacturing center located on the Erie Canal and Niagara River in the 19th and 20th centuries.