During the April 15 Brockport Village Board Meeting, the Monika W. Andrews Creative Leadership Award for 2023 was given to Mr. Allan Berry. Berry, nominated by Jim Fallon, was awarded by the Selection Committee of Linda Ketchum, Robert Westbrook, and Patricia Galinski. The Committee’s Selection Letter reads:
As Fallon notes, Allan Berry, “served the Brockport community in many roles during his long tenure in the Brockport Central School District.” But this service far from ended with his retirement. In particular, Fallon observes, Allan stands out for “his exemplary volunteer work as the President of the Brockport Community Museum.”
Allan “assumed the Presidency of the Brockport Community Museum in 2011 [from Bill Andrews] and has since been a tireless worker and a truly impressive leader in the organization’s efforts to promote” the historical consciousness of our community.
Four long-term BCM projects that Allan has nurtured stand out. As Fallon observes, the sidewalks of the village are “laden with historical interpretive panels [produced by the BCM] that recognize the significance of a particular person, place, event or aspect of our history. The panels illustrate in prose and in pictures a specific aspect of history. There are panels dealing with the public schools, higher education, fire protection, canal commerce, main street business, early farming in Sweden, the Morgan-Manning House and historical churches. As a long-serving member of the Board of the BCM, Fallon says that “I can’t stress enough the role that Mr. Berry played in the development and installation of all of these panels. It is only through Mr. Berry’s leadership and constant prodding that we are fortunate to have these panels in our community.” This past year, Berry led the production of two new panels commemorating the Park Avenue and Main Street lift bridges, the latter to be installed upon the welcome return of the bridge to operation. And others are in the works.
Second, Allan has overseen the installation and maintenance of historical markers throughout the Village. These markers are a commonplace feature of many New York communities, but few have made fuller or better use of them than Brockport. And Allan’s oversight of the panels and markers has not ceased with their installation. As Fallon points out, Allan “led the effort to have five Historical Markers repainted because of their poor condition. One was actually painted in his garage.”
Third, under Allan’s leadership the BCM has installed several interior interpretative display cases filled with artifacts of Brockport’s history in businesses and other organizations around the Village and at SUNY Brockport. This past year witnessed the installation of a case near the patient elevators at Strong West Hospital, which has found an enthusiastic audience.
Finally, as a “museum without walls,” the BCM under Allan’s leadership has constructed a splendid website (www.brockportcommunitymuseum.org) which serves as a valuable archive of local history.
The BCM is not only a museum without walls, it is a museum largely without money. Allan’s ability to parlay volunteer labor and timely grants from government agencies and private foundations in support of the organization’s remarkable projects is not the least of his accomplishments. He also has made the BCM a more than willing partner with other organizations working to alert citizens of Brockport and visitors to the community to its rich history. For many years, he coupled his leadership of the BCM with service on the Board of Directors of the Emily Knapp Museum (now renamed the Brockport Local History Museum).
In sum, the distinguished ranks of those volunteers who have made Brockport a community that uniquely preserves, memorializes, and reflects upon its past must include Allan Berry among its leaders. As Jim Fallon observes, “He works constantly to promote the Village and our community in general.” We are delighted to present him with the Monika Andrews Award in recognition of his achievements.
In 2012 the Monika W. Andrews Creative Volunteer Leadership Award was created as a memorial to the late Brockport resident. Its rules require that the award be given annually to one or more persons “who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in volunteer work by undertaking important innovative activities or creating significant new ways to serve the greater Brockport community”. A trust fund, through the generosity of Bill Andrews, Sr., has been established to provide cash awards for the winners. Nominees must be residents of the Village of Brockport, Town of Sweden, or Town of Clarkson. Individuals and organizations may submit nominations. Self-nominations are acceptable.
Nominations for the 2024 award will be accepted in January, contact the Village of Brockport for more information http://www.brockportny.org.
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