Community Philanthropy
Events
My wife, Susan Boyd, and I grew up in Leonia. We freely give our time to improve our community and have opened our home on behalf of various community organizations to help them raise money for the worthwhile causes they support in town.
The studio of our home historically served as a Leonia “social and cultural center” from the 1920s through the 1960s. During that time, our family hosted dance recitals, chamber music concerts, card parties, masquerade parties, speeches, plays, and art shows. The Leonia Life, the local newspaper of that time, chronicled all of these activities each week. You can pick up any Leonia Life from those decades and read a story about the Leonia community event(s) that took place in our studio.
In the same spirit, following a renovation of this space during the Pandemic, we have gladly re-opened the studio to community organizations to help them raise funds. Since October 2021, we have hosted approximately 400 people at the following events:
Leonia Sculpture Garden
An Art show and sale to raise funds for our beautiful sculpture gardens throughout town. Approximately $10,000 was raised at this event alone!
Rotary of the Palisades
An Evening fundraiser for the Rotary with Leonian Hal Rifken and his film documentary “Behind the Strings” about the Shanghai String Quartet (Currently being broadcast on PBS throughout 2023). All proceeds benefited Rotary of the Palisades and the many efforts they sponsor, including the school’s SnackPack program and the annual Oktoberfest event in Wood Park.
Leonia Arts
An amazing reading of two short Plays by Kathleen Clark that featured Broadway actors and actresses. Our only regret was not being able to share this event with all Leonians. It was really special. Kathleen Clark is a brilliant playwright.
Leonia Chamber Musicians Society
A concert to raise funds on behalf of the Leonia Chamber Musicians. During the concert, we were treated to a piece played 100 years earlier in the same room by another Leonia string quartet captured in a Rutherford Boyd painting hanging on the Studio wall today.
Leonia Recreation Art Class Show hosted by Instructor Allen Terrell
An upcoming event (early April) to showcase Leonia’s young art talent and their selected work. Details to be announced.
We will continue to open our home to deserving and worthwhile Leonia organizations to help them raise funds to keep their good work on behalf of our community going. —Bill Ziegler and Susan Boyd
Leonia Memorial Garden
My family, in particular my son Justin as part of his Eagle Scout Project with Leonia’s Troop 71, designed and built the Leonia Memorial Garden adjacent to the police station. This lovely garden is a tribute to Leonians who have passed and clearly shows the amazing number of exceptional people who once called Leonia their home. If you haven’t seen it, please stop by. It’s a wonderful tribute to the memory of those who have been recognized with a brick on the walkway surrounding the planted tree and adjacent to four cement benches.
Some of the more famous Leonians who have been so recognized include a Tuskegee Airman, a New York Yankees first baseman, Robert Ludlum, John McCloy, one of only five people in U.S. history to win the Medal of Honor twice, 5 Nobel prize winners including Enrico Fermi and Harold Urey, Chief Oratam, Leonia Mayors Dudley Allen and Thomas Ford and many others. Check it out for yourself. In addition, there are many other Leonians who are loved and missed by their Leonia loved ones. My family is proud of this contribution to our town. Justin was recognized by the Boy Scouts of America when the Leonia Memorial Garden was designated the best Eagle Scout Project of the year in the Northeast at a special regional party and ceremony.