Bridge thanks two friends of Valley Stream

Barbara DeGrace and Kenneth Heino have dedicated decades of their lives to making Valley Stream a better place. Each brings their own set of skills to the numerous organizations they work with in an effort to help others. Their hard work, sacrifice and caring for those around them was recognized Sunday at the Friends of Bridge annual brunch.

DeGrace, a former president of Bridge and 18-year member of the organization’s Board of Directors, was given the Bridge Builder of the Year award. Heino was recognized with the Service to the Community award for his years of charitable work, including serving as the Greater Valley Stream Youth Collaboration president since 2001.

More than 100 people attended Sunday’s ceremony at the VFW Post 1790 hall in Valley Stream, including several local elected officials. Mayor Ed Fare and the village board, Legislator Fran Becker, Assemblymen Brian Curran and Ed Ra, and Councilman James Darcy each presented citations to DeGrace and Heino, in addition to representatives from Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos’ and Legislator Denise Ford’s offices.

Friends of Bridge — which was founded in Valley Stream in the 1970s — offers group and individual treatment and coping strategies to people who are dealing with addiction to alcohol and drugs.

“My heart is so full,” DeGrace said. “My heart is in Friends of Bridge and always will be, and with this village that I love so dearly.” She currently serves as the special assistant to Fare after working as the chief of staff for Assemblyman Bob Barra. She has two children, Jenna and Thomas, with her husband, John, and has called Valley Stream home for more than a quarter-century.

“Mrs. DeGrace has spent her entire life making, repairing and, yes, building bridges,” Fare said. “She’s the epitome of networking, making connections and interdisciplinary skills.”

“Whoever decided to honor the two people here today did a great job because there aren’t two better people who serve the Valley Stream community than Barbara and Ken,” Curran said. “With all due respect to Mayor Fare, there is only one mayor of Valley Stream and that is Barbara DeGrace.”