BETHEL — To express gratitude for their dedication to propelling Sullivan County forward in culture, community and collaborations, Sullivan 180 held an Evening of Appreciation to honor three entities that boost community engagement and livelihood throughout the county.

The honorees included New York State Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, the Black Library on Broadway in Monticello and Tusten Social, a multi-generational group focused on togetherness. The groups and individuals honored joined their supporters gathered at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on Thursday, September 26.

The Assemblywoman is retiring after over 21 years in Albany, the work of which yielded over $2.6 million returning to Sullivan County through Sullivan Renaissance and Sullivan 180 alone.

“This community means everything to me,” Gunther said in her acceptance speech. “This is one of the greatest communities you could ever live in.”

The founders of the Black Library in Monticello, Michael Davis and Douglas Shindler, were similarly held in high esteem with a roar of applause.

“We really appreciate our community, and being honored like this shows that our community sees the work that we’re putting in and acknowledges that, and it really empowers us to keep it going,” Shindler said.

“We are just getting started and if we are around half as long as Aileen [Gunther] was, then we’ll do just fine,” Davis said.

Tusten Social currently focuses on creating spaces and activities for young community members and for elders via Sage Sessions in the greater Narrowsburg area. It was founded by Greta Knutzen and Greg Triggs, who have since announced the group’s acquisition of a brick-and-mortar home for the group on Main Street in Narrowsburg.

“These extraordinarily talented individuals [within Tusten Social] put their trust, time and energy into bringing this organization to life,” Knutzen said. 

Tusten Social also gave a sneak peak of an upcoming short film titled “The Lift”, which was funded by a grant from Sullivan 180. The entire film will premere at the Big Eddy Film Festival in mid-October.

Entertainment for the evening included performances by dance groups Danza Folclorica Metztli Tonatiuh and Orgullo Mixteco, guitarist Jon Zanger and Nesin Cultural Arts showcasing vocalist Erin Pine and accompanist Jeff Yeung.

“Tonight is to remind us that we are a part of something bigger,” Sullivan 180 Chief Executive Officer Denise Frangipane said. “One community working together for one common goal.”