So welcome to all of you.

Thanks for coming out on this very hot evening.

And I'm Karen Strauss, the co-president of Sister City Committee, along with Veloz Alexis.

Can you stand up, please?

Yeah.

And this was a wonderful committee that Peter Korn initially began, and then Wendy Vigrew started after that.

And unfortunately, she cannot be here tonight, but we're very happy to see Peter.

And Sister City Committee is been known for French exchange students, French pen pals between La Rochelle, France, and Neurochelle, and also musical exchanges.

In fact, there's a trumpeter here tonight, Hugh, who comes from La Rochelle and was here as a young student, an exchange student.

So we're very happy that this continuity will go on and on, hopefully for many years.

And actually, our history goes back to 1688 when the Huguenots settled in La Rochelle.

So we we go way back, the French and Americans working together.

In fact, there is a sailboat called Notre Dame des Flots that it's about 28 and a half meters.

So we're looking for a docking spot for it.

It will be here in September.

It came across the Atlantic from La Rochelle and will stay here for several weeks.

So we're we're hoping to greet the 10 sailors who made that arduous trip across the Atlantic.

And we do want to thank the Neurochelle City government for having us involved with the Sister Cities International.

And that will make it much easier for Sister Cities Committee to connect not just with France, but with all sister cities around the world.

And their credo is really beautiful.

It's an organization fostering friendships, building bridges, sharing cultures and history, and doing student exchanges.

Sam Gomez, who is the community liaison to the city manager, and Sam Vargas, the communications and marketing manager.

They both met with Veloz and me, both in person and on Zoom calls to plan this evening.

So a big thank you to them.

And now we uh would like to call up Will Melendez, the city manager, who has a very special presentation for a very special committee member.

And if the rest of the committee can come up, that would be wonderful.

Some couple groupings.

Hi, good afternoon.

Just a couple of words, a couple of greetings.

Thank you again to our sister city committee.

I want to acknowledge our Sonyman uh Steve Otis, who's here, who uh pleasure of joining us today.

Uh a couple of thank yous.

Thanks, Steve.

Uh the employee resource group, our DEI and communication staff uh that put this all together and everybody else who came this evening to make it possible.

Um this year we had the pleasure of celebrating America's 250th anniversary, two and a half centuries of our country's independence.

Uh but part of that magic of being in America is that the story's stitched with many different threads.

The roots of our Neurocharo are within, are with the French Huguenots, settlers who left their country fleeing political persecution.

And from what I understand, they they purchased a plot of land on the banks of the Long Island Sound in 1689, naming it after the Huguenot port of the city of La Rochelle.

So I had the pleasure a couple months ago of sitting with with Peter and Karen and Peter brought a bunch of really cool photos of all the times that they went over to La Rochelle and just to see that connection was was really awesome.

And we had a great, I had a great time that that day looking at those photos.

So even though it predates our country by more than 87 years, the story of those French travelers seeking freedom is as American as one could find.

So I want to thank you for joining us today as we celebrate the people and the culture of France that made it possible for this city of Neurochelle and a country we know and love to be.

With that, I would like to uh present a proclamation to on behalf of the mayor's office.

If she couldn't make it today, uh honoring Mr.

Peter Korn.

And I'll just read it out loud and then we could come up here.

Whereas Peter Korn has devoted his distinguished career to public service and local government, serving as the city manager of the city of New Rochelle since September 1996.

A graduate of the City College of New York and the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton Graduate School.

He has also served as city manager of Jersey City, New Jersey, Rochester, New York, Peoria, Illinois, earning a reputation as an exceptional municipal leader and administrator.

Whereas throughout his tenure in New Rochelle, Mr.

Korn has been instrumental in strengthening city government through organizational development, team building, strategic planning, economic development, technical innovation, and sound fiscal management.

Under his leadership, the city expanded investment into commercial neighborhoods, modernizing municipal services, enhanced communication technology, and secured millions of dollars in state and federal grant funding for the benefit of his community.

Whereas Mr.

Corn also made a lasting impact on mentoring future generations of public servants, helping launch the careers of numerous city managers and municipal leaders through through management training programs and his unwavering commitment to professional development.

Whereas recognizing the importance of international friendship and culture exchange, Peter Korn was instrumental in establishing and strengthening the sister city relationship between the city of New Shelle and La Rochelle, France.

His vision forced meaningful connections through student exchanges, a pen pal program at Neurochelle High School, Bastille Day celebrations, and cultural programs that brought together residents of both communities in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding.

And whereas through his leadership, his attention to detail, and appreciation for both American and French traditions, Mr.

Korn laid the foundation for a partnership that contributes to flourish today, leaving a legacy that reflects the shared history and enduring bond between Neurochelle and La Rochelle.

Congratulations.

As I look back on my high school year book, it said, What do you want to be?