Queens CB9 honors 50-year member Sylvia Hack
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Queens Community Board 9 honored Sylvia Hack for 50 years of service to the board on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach
By Ryan Schwach
Queens Community Board 9 honored member Sylvia Hack for half a century of community service on Tuesday night.
At Queens Borough Hall, board members and a host of Queens elected officials honored Hack, a Kew Gardens resident who has served the board since 1974.
Several elected officials attended to personally applaud Hack’s years of service to the community and the borough, including Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Councilmember Lynn Schulman, Assemblymember David Weprin and State Senator Leroy Comrie.
Hack was appointed to Community Board 9 in 1974, and at the time there were no office staff. Sometimes, they met at members’ apartments or in public spaces.
In her 50 years on CB9, which included a combined eight years as chair, Hack was a founding member of the Kew Gardens Improvement Association and was part of the initial conversations that created NY1, the television station.
“We really appreciate everything you do,” said the current chair, Sherry Algredo. “You know we really admire you.”
Algredo joked that board members are also jealous of Hack, because, due to term limits, very few members will be able to get to the 50-year mark.
“We love you Sylvia, you mean the world to us,” Algredo said.
Elected officials at every level of government awarded commendations to Hack for her work.
“She didn't get paid for anything, but she still continues to fight to make things better, and not just for Kew Gardens, but for the entire borough,” said Comrie.
“You never got emotional, but you got determined,” he added. “You made sure that people understood where your heart was, what it was you were fighting for.”
Weprin called her a legend, and Adams said she felt like she was in the presence of royalty.
“What can we say to such an amazing, stalwart servant – you have set the ground, you have paved the way,” said Adams, a former CB chair herself. “We stand on your shoulders, as our leader, as our sage.”
Hack also enjoyed an acting career, including a role in “A Miracle on 34th Street.”
“You are our Miracle in Kew Gardens,” said Schulman.
Hack thanked the board and officials for the honors, and spoke of the importance of community service.
“I've also always believed that we the people have to live with the decisions that are made by people, we deserve to be a part of those decisions,” she said. “You've got to get up and stand up for what you think should happen, and you have to get out there and make a lot of noise, intelligent noise…Otherwise, we don't have a wonderful community.”
