Richie Surozenski is Shelter Island Citizen of the Year.
He’s been a volunteer firefighter since 1965. Twice named fireman of the year, he twice served as chief. Surozenski looks after Taylor’s Island, tends the Catholic cemetery, and is always willing to help those in need.
For these and myriad other contributions to the community, the Shelter Island Lions named him Citizen of the Year.
Shelter Island Lions highest honor
“He’s an ideal Citizen of the Year,” said Dr. Frank Adipietro, committee chair for the Lions Citizen of the Year, the club’s highest honor. “He’s done so much for Shelter Island and the community”.
“It was his time,” Dr. Adipietro told the Gazette, noting that Surozenski’s name has previously appeared in nominating petitions.
While many Islanders know him well, those who don’t likely know his work. One highly visible contribution is the lighted Christmas tree he places on a float in Chase Creek, near to the home he shares with his wife, Sharon.
He also served as Highway Superintendent for the Village of Dering Harbor. He retired last fall after 40 years of maintaining roadways and providing innumerable other services to residents of the state’s smallest municipality.
Richard Surozenski nominating petition
“He is always there to help a friend if he is able,” wrote Pat and Steve Lenox in the petition they submitted nominating Surozenski.
“Richie started his volunteer work on Shelter Island in 1965 when he joined the Shelter Island Heights Fire Department”.
Surozenski became a Heights fire commissioner in 1994. He’s been a commissioner of the Shelter Island Fire Department since the Heights and Center squads merged in 1997.
For the SIFD, he’s been chair of the annual Chicken BBQ and Steak Night dinner, the Lenoxes noted.
Taylor’s Island volunteer
What’s more he’s also been an active member of the Taylor’s Island Preservation and Management Committee, and now serves as co-chair.
“He has spent many hours helping to keep this beautiful island for all the people of Shelter Island to enjoy,” the Lenoxes wrote.
An usher at Our Lady of the Isle Roman Catholic Church, Surozenski helps to maintain the church cemetery on Manhanset Road.
“Many people on Shelter Island have been helped by Richie,” the Lenoxes wrote. “It may be shopping for groceries, replacing a refrigerator that’s no longer working, or shoveling walkways.
“He just does things that need doing without a lot of publicity,” the Lenoxes told the Lions.
Award qualifications
The Lions Club accepts nominations from January 1 to February 15. It seeks to honor individuals (one or more may be chosen) who have demonstrated outstanding voluntary service to the community.
Such service, the club says in the nominating petition, “far exceeds the duties and obligations that are the normal functions of being a citizen”.
Nominees need not be members of the Lions Club. Here are the guidelines:
- nominees demonstrate profound commitment to serve in a voluntary capacity the needs of the people of Shelter Island
- nominees through exceptional efforts have made outstanding contributions to the well-being of the Island community
- they give assistance without expectation of recognition or reward
- nominees may have served in either a leadership or following role
- they may have been nominated for (but not awarded) Citizen of the Year
The committee forwards its selection to the Lions board for approval in March. In addition to Dr. Adipietro, committee members are Ken Pysher, Jim Read, Frank Vecchio and Mary-Faith Westervelt.
Richie Surozenski Citizen of the Year dinner
The Lions usually present the award at a dinner in May, open to all Islanders.
This year’s dinner is May 23, 6 p.m. at the Pridwin Hotel. Tickets, $45 per person, are available at the Shelter Island Public Library. It’s open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Find additional details on the Lions website, shelterislandlions.org. There you can also find more information about our local chapter of this international service organization.
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