By Josh Williams
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
LOWER MANHATTAN — An annual awards dinner celebrating downtown residents who have contributed to the community was held last week.
The Manhattan Youth "Downtown Community Awards 2010" dinner was held at the Manhattan Community Center, where Lower Manhattan community leaders such as Kevin Doherty, Lewis Gross and Paul Hovitz were honored.
"In this life you get by giving," said Hovitz, a retired special education teacher who has served 17 years on Community Board 1 and has been co-chair of the Youth and Education Committee for the past 12 years. Hovitz's wife and daughter attended the ceremony.
Elected officials including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, State Sen. Daniel Squadron, City Council Member Margaret Chin and Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin attended the event.
Some of the speakers commented on the funding crisis the Manhattan Youth organization is facing. Harsh budget cuts may lead to the elimination of the group's after-school program.
"We're not going to back down on saving our programs, our community desperately needs them," said Bob Townley, the executive director of Manhattan Youth.
