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40 years of environmentalism to be celebrated at Chili Night

Hellenic Snack Bar manager George Giannaris and sons Yianni (center) and Savvas serve chili to John Rooney of Southold at North Fork Environmental Council's Chili Night last year.
KATHARINE SCHROEDER FILE PHOTO | Hellenic Snack Bar manager George Giannaris and sons Yianni (center) and Savvas serve chili to John Rooney of Southold at North Fork Environmental Council’s Chili Night last year.

Forty years of environmental activism on the East End will be celebrated by the North Fork Environmental Council Friday, Oct. 19, during the group’s annual Chili Night, at Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead.

As part of the festivities, NFEC will present its Presidents’ Leadership Award to Glynis Berry of Orient, owner of Art Sites gallery in Riverhead. Ms. Berry is also an architect accredited in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design by the U.S. Green Building Department and a Suffolk County planning commissioner at large.

She is active with Peconic Green Growth, working toward “the realization of her vision of a green corridor, composed of several parks connected by trails along the Peconic River,” which her gallery overlooks. She is also a founding member of the North Fork Clean Water Action coalition.

The evening will include a brief film tribute to Paul Stoutenburgh, a past NFEC president and former Time/Review columnist, and a remembrance of former NFEC president Frank Wills, who died earlier this year.

Winners of the “Photo What’s Left” exhibit and sale — which benefits NFEC, the Riverhead Neighborhood Preservation Coalition and Save Main Road efforts — will be announced as well and one local restaurant will be take home the title of having the best chili.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Call 298-8880 or go to nfec2012chili.eventbrite.com.