BY CATRINA ROCCO
On March 30th, the Dutchess County Libertarian Party held its first annual fundraising gala and awards banquet at Revel 32 in the city of Poughkeepsie. Libertarians and friends of libertarians attended this event in support of the regional council’s awards winners, the affiliate, and candidates.
The regional council, consisting of libertarian chairs, vice chairs or county contacts from counties such as Dutchess, Orange, Rensselaer, Ulster, Columbia, Westchester, and Litchfield, CT honored libertarians with the following awards.
Influencer/Political Impact
Larry Sharpe Former NYS Libertarian Candidate and Host of the Larry Sharpe Podcast,
Leadership: Dr. Aaron Lewis, 2022 Gubernatorial Candidate Connecticut.
Thorns in the Side of the State awards:
Downstate Thorn: Anthony Dilullo, former Vice Chair and current Member-At-Large of the Dutchess County Libertarian Party.
Upstate Thorn: Duane Whitmer, LPNY 1st Vice Chair
Affiliate Support. Daniel Donnelly, former Dutchess County Libertarian Party Chair, current County Committee member
Libertarian of the Year
Pietro Geraci, Orange County Libertarian Party Vice Chair
Speakers at this years gala also included Mike ter Maat, Libertarian Presidential candidate hopeful, Pat Ford, Region 8 Representative to the Libertarian National Committee, Charles Taya, Chair of the NYS Libertarian Youth Caucus, and Andrew Gauzza, a genuine “small L” libertarian who is the Dutchess County Libertarian Party’s cross-endorsed candidate for County Legislator District 8.