Street named for dedicated veteran and Bay Ridge resident

During hislifetime, Abe Kanter, a veteran and active volunteer in the BayRidge community who died in 2009, seemingly had a finger in everypot.

In tribute tohis decades of community service, the corner of 65^thStreet and Fourth Avenue – near the Bay Ridge Towers where Kanterlived from 1972 until his death – has been co-named Abe KanterWay.

The officialceremony took place on Saturday, May 21, which would have beenKanter’s 90^th birthday.

Kanter – wholeft high school just before graduation to join the Army in May of1939, and combined his passions for the armed forces and communityservice after he was discharged from the Army in 1945 – wasubiquitous in Bay Ridge community affairs.

He was the commander of the Jewish War Veterans’Post Number 11, a senior affairs chairperson for the Bay RidgeCommunity Council, and the Auxiliary Police Officer of the Year forhis work with the 68^th Precinct. He also periodicallyvisited the VA hospital to talk with patients, spoke at junior highschools about his experiences in World War II, volunteered at theFort Hamilton Museum, participated in the Bay Ridge American LegionPost Number 157, and served as a founding member and president ofAARP’s Ovington Chapter.

“He loved tovolunteer as much as he could, looking for nothing in return but tomake things better for his community,” said Danny Kanter, Abe’sson. “This is a wonderful and very fitting honor for my dad. My momand I are very proud that this is being bestowed uponhim.”

MichaelSchweinsburg, the director of communications for Councilmember SaraGonzález, said that the honor was merited.

“I could go onand on about all the awards he’s received,” Schweinsburg said. “Heis one of the very deserving members of the community who youshould memorialize.”