Gardiner Foundation Luncheon at Old Westbury Gardens

By Leader Staff

Old Westbury Gardens hosted an enjoyable and important grant awards luncheon of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, to support Long Island’s historic museums and writers.

Several dozen local institutions, from Oyster Bay's Raynham Hall to the Sag Harbor History Museum were on hand to support the foundation and receive Gardiner's support for local museums, researchers and authors.

The mission of the Gardiner Foundation includes an "effort to assist our historic organizations to achieve sustainability," stated Kathryn Curran, the Executive Director of the David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

The foundation was founded by Robert David Lion Gardiner in 1987. He was, until his death in 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner's Island - a 3,300 acre (5.19 square miles) privately-owned island at the east end of Long Island, between the north and south forks. 

Raynham Hall museum in Oyster Bay - the home of the famous Townsend family of George Washington’s Culper Spy Ring - received a substantial grant to support the publication of historic books on George Washington.

Also receiving recognition and financial support from the Gardiner Foundation was the Nassau County Museum of Fine Art, the Long Island Maritime Museum and the Jewish Historical Society of Long Island.

“What a lovely luncheon, and what a worthy cause,” stated one museum president. "Gardiner does such important work to preserve our history and support the community." 

Other groups receiving support from the Gardiner Foundation at the luncheon include the Mattituck Historical Society, the Fireboat Firefighters Museum, the Long Beach Historical Preservation Society, and the Oyster Bay Railroad Museum.