The Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation held their 30th Annual Spring Dance on May 15th at Le Cordon Bleu. At this dance, the GWDC honored folks who have made outstanding contributions to Woodhaven -- in the first of a series, we bring you the ceremony honoring Maureen Bermingham.
Maureen was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Cypress Hills. As a child, she often visited her aunt, who lived on Forest Parkway, and patronized some of the local businesses that, to this day, are still fondly remembered -- The Willard movie Theater, Lewis' of Woodhaven, Pop's Restaurant, etc. She eventually moved to Woodhaven where she remained for the next 50 years! She worked as an Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of The First Boston Corporation in Manhattan, which prepared her for the next stage in her life -- working for the GWDC. She and Robert Bermingham were married 42 years ago and they have 2 daughters.
Here she is with Council Members Eric Ulrich and Elizabeth Crowley, along with GWDC members Stephen Esposito and Maria Thomson.
Here, Senator Joseph Addabbo joins the celebration.
Below, Mayor Mike Bloomberg presents Maureen with a bouquet of flowers. To the right of Mayor Bloomberg is Marueen's Grandson, Jason Peters, grandson; family friend Sal Filingeri; and Maureen's daughter Diane Bermingham.
Below: family friend Sal Filingeri, Mayor Bloomberg, grandson Jason Peters, daughter Diane Bermingham, and Maureen.
And below, the lovely Maureen dances with her husband of 42 years, Robert.
Here is a statement from Maureen's family that sums it up better than any words I can think of:
“We are proud of Maureen’s accomplishments and her many years of service to the Woodhaven community. Maureen has always been a dedicated mother, daughter, grandmother and wife in the Bermingham family, as well as a tireless advocate of the neighborhood. What has kept her going all these years is a desire to stay active and vital, and she truly appreciates the camaraderie and support of all her co-workers. We believe Maureen’s efforts have genuinely made Woodhaven a better place.”
Here is some video from that evening's festivities. First up is Maria Thomson, who has worked alongside Maureen for over 3 decades, and she relates a little bit about Maureen's life. And then Maureen, herself, steps up to the microphone to address the people of Woodhaven.
There are so many good, positive things happening on a regular basis in Woodhaven -- and it's sometimes easy to overlook the fact that there are real people behind the scenes, working hard every day on our behalf. Today, it's been our honor to help shine a spotlight on one of those good people, Maureen Bermingham. Congratulations, Maureen -- and many thanks for all that you do, it is deeply appreciated.
Previous Coverage of the GWDC's Spring Dance:
Mayor Bloomberg Visits Woodhaven
Highlights From Woodhaven's Spring Dance
If you have any comments, or would like to suggest other projects, drop us a line at info@projectwoodhaven.com or projectwoodhaven@aol.com.
Return to Project Woodhaven's Home Page