American Red Cross Honors Basil Kapetanakis

Brooklyn, NY.- The American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) recently honored two prominent borough residents and the management and staff of a popular New York radio station during the Brooklyn Spring Benefit at The Palm House in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Honors were presented to New York State Senator Martin J. Golden (22nd District, Brooklyn), business and community leader Basil Capetanakis and WWRL 1600 AM – “New York’s Urban Talk Station.”

Speaking before several hundred Red Cross supporters, Senator Golden praised the organization’s commitment to help people. A former Brooklyn Advisory Board Member, Senator Golden received the Public Service Award that honors outstanding individuals whose actions encourage safety and preparedness in government.

“I can attest to the fact that on more than one occasion I was on the scene with the American Red Cross,” said Senator Golden, “and I saw first hand how they provided relief and comfort to those in need. Gathered here with us are individuals who were made hopeful again at the hands of the American Red Cross — individuals and families, who in a Sheepshead Bay apartment building fire lost a lot, but whose faith and hope never faded because of the American Red Cross.”

Business and community leader Basil Capetanakis, founder of 14 Apollo Associates, a real estate mortgage company, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Red Cross, the field of real estate and local business development. Mr. Capetanakis has served as president of the Brooklyn 5th Avenue Board of Trade — Community Board Ten for more than 20 years. He served as president of the Bay Ridge Real Estate Institute and vice president of the Bay Ridge Development Corporation. He is involved in numerous community, religious and educational institutions.

Radio Station WWRL 1600 AM received the local Disaster Partnership Award for supporting American Red Cross Disaster Relief and for assistance in raising local funds to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina. The award was accepted by Program Director Rennie Bishop and Promotion Director Marko Nobles.

During the benefit, Terry Bischoff, CEO, ARC/GNY, indicated that Red Cross staff and volunteers already had helped more than 2,000 Brooklyn residents affected by 350 disasters during the first four months of 2006.

“That is nearly three each day,” she said. “We are proud to offer relief in the form of shelter, food, financial assistance and mental health counseling to anyone who is in need and at the moment when the need is the greatest. Right now, our staff and volunteers are in Greenpoint to support firefighters and other emergency responders who are battling the 10-alarm warehouse fire. We were there yesterday shortly after the fire was called in and we will remain on site as long as our services and support are needed by emergency personnel and the community.”