Appreciation is on the agenda for the Business Improvement District in the Village of Greenport.
On May 21, the BID will usher in Greenport Village Employee Appreciate Day to honor the hard work of village employees with an afternoon and evening of food, drink and gratitude for the ways in which they support the community.
“They deserve some recognition,” says Nancy Kouris, president of the BID and owner of Blue Duck Bakery (130 Front St., Greenport, 631-333-2060). “Sometimes it’s a thankless job.”
Between setting up village decorations and lighting for the holidays, keeping the roads and sidewalks clean along with a multitude of other tasks, village employees are the ones working behind the scenes.
“We depend on them to keep Mitchell Park looking wonderful when we have events,” says Kouris.
Ryan Farrel, general manager at American Beech (302 Main St., Greenport, 631-477-5939) and Linda Kessler, owner of Kessie (25 Front St., Greenport, 631-477-6900) helped to organize the special day.
The schedule includes a complimentary lunch for village employees at the Greenport Fire Department including chips, sandwiches and sweets from Blue Duck Bakery.
Later, Greenport village workers are invited to a pizza party courtesy of 1943 Pizza (308 Main St., Greenport, 631-477-6984) and complimentary drinks at Greenport Harbor Brewing Company (42155 Main Road, Peconic, 631-477-1100) at 5 p.m.
Rich Vandenburgh, past BID president and founder of the brewery (which got its start in Greenport) was jazzed about the idea when his friend Colin Ratsey of Ratsey Construction (67875 Main Road, Greenport, 631-477-0979) proposed it.
“I do hope that the workers do take advantage, do come by, do grab a free drink whether it’s a glass of wine, a beer or a nonalcoholic soda,” says Vandenburgh. “We want to make sure they feel recognized, that they understand they’re valued and that we appreciate them.”
Next year, Ratsey hopes to see a celebration at 5th Street Park and Playground so employees can enjoy the amenities that they work so hard to take care of.
“I think [their work] does go unnoticed, and I think they just all need to know that we appreciate it,” says Ratsey. “They need to get something back. It’s a beautiful town and they need to enjoy it too.”
