Honoree - Damon Gersh & Rachelle Krieger
Damon Gersh is an entrepreneur and community leader deeply committed to civic and cultural life in Port Washington. After leading a highly successful disaster restoration business for more than three decades, he now dedicates much of his time to initiatives that strengthen community connections and reflect his passion for the creative arts.
He is co-founder, past chairman, and active supporter of HEARTS PW (Helping Enrich the Arts of Port Washington), a grassroots nonprofit that promotes and enriches creative expression in Port Washington’s public schools and the broader community. Through HEARTS, he helped establish and champion the annual PortFest Music, Arts and Community Festival, a signature event that has brought residents together in celebration of local artists and performers.
A lifelong musician, Damon is also the lead singer and guitarist of the local band Rock Steady, which has been performing throughout the community for over 20 years and is known for bringing fun energy and connection to local events and venues.
Damon and his family, through the Gersh Family Foundation, are proud supporters as Partners in Performing Arts at Landmark on Main Street and its Jeanne Rimsky Theater, a vital cultural hub for performances and community engagement.
In collaboration with Residents Forward, he and his family’s foundation have supported public art initiatives, including mural projects and the Art Walk event, transforming shared spaces into vibrant showcases of creativity. He has also helped bring interactive musical installations to Blumenthal Park, creating welcoming environments that encourage participation and connection across generations.
Through his leadership, music, and volunteer work, Damon continues to invest in the cultural vitality and strong sense of community that define and enrich Port Washington.
Rachelle Krieger is a visual artist who has lived and worked in Port Washington for over two decades, building a career distinguished by artistic achievement and environmental advocacy. Her paintings and ceramics are deeply rooted in the natural landscape, reflecting both its beauty and the urgency of protecting it.
From 2002–2009, Krieger painted en plein air at the Sand Point Preserve, developing a significant body of work inspired by coastal ecosystems. These works were later exhibited in commercial galleries across the United States and featured in numerous fundraising exhibitions supporting the North Shore Land Alliance and Residents Forward, reinforcing her commitment to land conservation and community stewardship.
Krieger organized the first Port Washington Open Studios event in collaboration with the town, expanding visibility for local artists and fostering cultural engagement. She also curated the community art exhibit tent at PortFest’s annual HEARTS fundraiser and served for ten years on the Art Advisory Council at the Port Washington Public Library. In addition, she has juried exhibitions, led artist demonstrations, and used public programming as a platform to highlight environmental awareness.
Her civic leadership includes serving as co-president of the Beacon Hill Women’s Club, where she helped organize fundraising initiatives benefiting the Interfaith Nutrition Network and scholarships for Schreiber High School graduates.
Whether painting fragile shorelines, cleaning oyster beds, or participating in community cleanups, Rachelle Krieger’s artistic practice and public service are unified by a clear purpose: to celebrate, protect, and sustain the environment that inspires her artwork.