BMCA president, Barbara Stronczer, said of Canapi, “She has put much time and effort into the garden and currently grows annuals and some vegetables.” Honorees are usually presented with a plaque during the last meeting of the community association’s calendar year in June, ahead of its summer recess.

 

Reacting to the honor, Canapi said it had been a pleasure to take on what she said was a great challenge to transform the Botanical Square Community Garden into a beautiful oasis, enjoyed by many. “It was my intention to bring joy to the community by providing a colorful landscape for a much needed relief, with the challenges COVID added to our lives,” she said, adding that she had received many compliments from Metro North commuters & conductors, New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) visitors, staff and locals.

 

Canapi said a huge amount of time had been dedicated since March 2021 to restructuring, transplanting, and nurturing plants and growing beautiful flowers and vegetables in the garden. “It is a great pleasure to gift visitors to the garden vegetables that I have grown, and also a pleasure to donate the landscaping products and plants to the garden,” she said. “The work is still ongoing as the renovation of the garden continues this year.”

 

Working with Canapi on the community garden were her nephews, Xavier, 11, and Adrian, 7.  As helpers, they were given an opportunity to learn to give back to the neighborhood that has been the family home since 1970. “They also get to have hands-on experience on how to grow vegetables, which is important,” Canapi said.

 

Vallati was a longtime community activist who was active with BMCA until her death at 101. Last year’s winner of the annual honor was Sirio Guerino of Guerinos Against Graffitti*.

 

Canapi concluded, saying “Once again, I am grateful to be the recipient of the Mary Vallati Memorial Award. In this ever-transforming environment, like Mary Vallati, we need to work together to ensure that our community remains the neighborhood where families feel comfortable to raise their children, and proudly welcome friends from afar.”

 

Bedford Mosholu Community Association meetings are usually held on the first Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. The group usually takes a summer hiatus. The next meeting will be held on on Sept. 7. For further details, contact bedfordmosholu@verizon.net.