The pandemic may have changed the shape of their annual Columbus Day weekend celebration, but Newburgh’s Trestle Inc. continued the tradition Saturday with a socially-distanced brick dedication at the Newburgh waterfront.

Five community members - three of them posthumously - were honored with bricks on the walkway in front of the Trestle Inc mural that once consisted of five arches with Newburgh-area scenes.

“Every year, Trestle Inc. recognizes special people who have a made a difference in the lives of others, who have impacted our greater Newburgh community, and we recognize them during our annual brick unveiling event,” said Pamela Krizek during Saturday’s ceremony. “We want them to know how much we respect and appreciate them, the impact they’ve made and what they have accomplished.” This year’s honorees were:

• Late Senator William Larkin Jr. “as he dedicated his time and efforts over forty years of public service, putting the Beatitudes in action, serving the homeless, the hungry, the emotionally and physically handicapped, immigrants, and the marginalized and vulnerable of Orange County, initiating many programs to help with heating, housing and food for those living in poverty,.” Larkin was represented by his wife Patricia Larkin

• Frederica Warner, the late Founder of Meals on Wheels, also an honorary Trestle Board member, spent her years on earth driven to provide food and necessities to those less fortunate, always going out of her way to reach out, lift up and care for her Newburgh neighbors.

“She loved life, she loved people, she loved nurturing others, she loved sharing time and conversation, she loved making each person feel special in the moment she spent with them.,” Krizek said.

• The late Deacon John Buckley, who worked with parishioners in both St. Mary’s and St. Francis’ churches, in Newburgh, and in churches in Florida where he later resided.

“He cared about others, protected people and their community, and was selfless with his time and resources,” Krizek said. “We know Deacon John Buckley is protecting us and blessing us from his place above. “

• Carl Aiello, editor of the Mid Hudson Times, for “award winning stories that capture the human spirit, people, Newburgh’s people and Newburgh’s blossoms, characterizing the changes of the journey of this City through its people and its movements, through voices and messages, actions and obstacles. Stories and history that would otherwise have gone unrecorded and lost.”

• Theresa Brown, who recently retired from NECSD as the Director of Fine and Performing Arts, “is a connector, a bridge, over many years weaving the Arts through the streets, parks, art studios, and schools of the greater Newburgh repertoire. Theresa orchestrated numerous art shows, from the Ritz Theatre and Ann St. Art Gallery to the Student Art Framed and on display at the Stewart International Airport Terminal, as well as hanging in our greater Newburgh schools, oversaw musical, dance, and performing art performances inside and outside the schools she directed, producing a very talented group of scholars and winning awards, such as the Best Communities for Music Education designation in 2018 from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education, an honor awarded to the top five percent of school districts in the nation.”

Tresle Inc. also recognized two Trestle Executive Board Members who served as Presidents and Leaders of Trestle Inc. with engraved bricks of appreciation - the late Kiki Hayden, who also served on multiple Newburgh Boards, the Greater Newburgh Symphony, Downing Park Planning Committee, the YWCA, and Michael Fogarty, who stepped down from a three year term of Presidency in 2019 due to health reasons, and who still serves on Trestle Inc. as a Board member.

Trestle Inc, established in 2003, now has more than 2000 bricks in its walkway. It has begun the process of replacing the five weather-damaged murals created by Garin Baker. Krizek said the organization contracted Ultimateblasting, of Forestburgh, NY, which uses recycled glass and water through a dustless, environmentally safe, blasting process.

After the removal, the City of Newburgh and CSX, which owns the railroad trestle, will continue to work collaboratively with Trestle Inc. to reach out to the community of local artists and the greater Newburgh community to become involved in the creation of a new mural along the railroad trestle.