You may not always see her, but she’s there. She may be hiding behind a mustache, or in between Princess Leia’s buns, under a silly hat, tutoring math, working with a student who needs extra help, or behind a volleyball coach whistle. But she’s there all right. In fact, Sue Panzer seems to be everywhere. She may be the most ubiquitous volunteer in the history of Cherry Grove.  Out here, she’s involved in virtually every organizational event in some capacity – casino dealer, set-up, ticket-taker, cleaner upper and in shows. If it needs to get done, Sue does it. “I love being an Indian, not a chief,” she says.

She credits her parents, educators Morty and Barbara, who set the example by being involved in a much as possible. They were into local politics, community service, social justice issues and more. They were also teachers in Canarsie schools where Sue and her older sister Ellen grew up.  Following in their professional footsteps after graduating from Stony Brook, then taught math in a series of Brooklyn schools, including Canarsie High for 21 years. She’s now at one of the City’s Alternate Learning Centers for kids who have been suspended from school.  “I love working with these kids because they can really turn their lives around if they want to. My greatest joy is to see them succeed. I get the same wonderful feeling today as when I first started teaching and love working in a place where everyone works as a team.”

Sue says she’s very good at organization and does not believe in quitting – ever. As proof, she tells the story of locking herself in her bungalow colony bedroom room all day at age 5 to teach herself to tie her shoelaces. Her mother was alarmed and puzzled. Until she came out of the room and said “Mr. Kraft told me I couldn’t play in gym until I could tie my own shoes.  So I practiced until I figured out how to do it myself.”

Sue came to Cherry Grove in 1988 when she took a summer job at the famous Michael’s. As she tells it, Pat Rizzi (Michael’s mother) asked her if she ever waitressed she said no then Pat asked if she was gay when she said yes they said you’re hired.  Good thing she met one of the requirements. Over the 13 summers she worked there, Sue met virtually everyone in Cherry Grove and discovered the close-knit sense of community that marks our little town. (Or at least some of the time.} She went on to work at Cherry’s and the Ice Palace , which is where you can find her “serving the community.”

“When I really needed a support community, Cherry Grove was here for me,” she says. “Being here got me through a lot and now I love to give back. It’s always about the people.”

The history and the people are what turn her on. “Not only is this a safe place for gay people, it’s brimming with so many different people – old and young, rich and not-so-rich, and people who have fought so bravely for our rights, sometimes a great cost.  I admire them all so much.”

Sue and her partner Angela live in “Limerick,” the house on Doctors Walk that Sue (with Luis and Gary) bought in 2006. As for her partner Angela they it was an arranged marriage, pushed by mutual friends who knew they would be crazy about each other (and it only took those friends three years). Well, they got that right.

Thank you, Sue, for all you have given all of us. You are a true community “treasure” and we so happy to honor you.