The Town of North Hempstead held its annual May W. Newburger Women's Roll of Honor breakfast last week at Clinton Martin Park in New Hyde Park.

The chairperson for the event, North Hempstead Town Clerk Michelle Schimel, made the following statement as she introduced the honorees, "Each year our breakfast celebrates the many women who have enriched our community. This year the breakfast reflects on the words of Susan B. Anthony who said, 'For a people is only as great, as free, as lofty, as advanced as its women are free, noble and progressive.'"

Guest speaker at the breakfast this year was Rajinderjit K. Singh, who spoke, in detail, about peace. Singh is a retired Locust Valley teacher and co-founder of the Long Island Multi-Faith Forum and she represents North America on the board of the World Council of Religions for Peace.

Further, Shirley Romaine, as she has done since the inception of the breakfast in 1994, delighted the audience with a poetry reading.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman said, "Our tradition continues and I am very pleased to recognize the outstanding women who have invested their time and talents in their community. They have left a lasting impact on the Town of North Hempstead."

This year's honorees included:

As a community resident for 42 years, Kay Budion has proven herself a valuable member of every organization she has been part of. As a member of Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church she taught religious education and was president of the Altar Society. She was co-founder of the New Hyde Park AARP and received their national Community Service Award in 1992. She is on the committee of FISH as vice president of operations and is a member of the Columbiettes and The VFW. Always happy to take on a new project, Budion presently serves on the advisory board of Project Independence, an innovative program that enables seniors to stay in their homes by enlisting the help of public and private groups in the community. An attorney working with a New York City school district, a wife and the mother of a 4-year-old and a 9-month-old, Irene Parrino, an Albertson resident for 15 years, truly does it all. She is a civic leader who acts as a liaison between the community and the political arena. Former president of the Nassau/Suffolk Water Commissioner's Association for eight years, Parrino is currently the president of Albertson Civic Society who also served as its vice president for six years. Parrino is a graduate of the Nassau County Police Academy program designed to encourage community leaders to get involved by helping them understand how the department works so they can interact with one another. A New York Police Department police officer for 20 years and the mother of four young children, Smith still finds time to be extremely involved in the community. She serves as Williston Park Village Trustee and is a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Mercy League of the Willistons and Roslyn, St. Aidan's PACE and CYO, Mineola PAL, Williston Park Little League and Recreation Committee. In recognition of her outstanding service and dedication above and beyond the call of duty during 9/11, Smith was the recipient of the U. S. Ballroom Foundation Award. Her endless energy and indomitable spirit enables her to bring joy to many. Also honored at the breakfast was Amy Hagedorn, of Sands Point, who has a strong connection to New Hyde Park. She was the founder and one of the original teachers of the pre-K Program at the New Hyde Park/Garden City Park Hillside Grade School. Hagedorn, a product of New York City School, from elementary to Masters degree, spent 23 years as an early childhood teacher in Great Neck and New Hyde Park. She was a single mother of four when she met and married widower and legendary garden industry giant Horace Hagedorn in 1986. Together they explored different ways to support good efforts, one of them being the donation of a playground at the Hillside Grade School. With the establishment of the Horace and Amy Hagedorn Fund in the Long Island Community Foundation, they discovered new opportunities for giving, and Sustainable Long Island was born. Today, following in the footsteps of her late husband Horace, Amy serves as president of its board of directors as it helps people rethink, renew and rebuild their communities.