Community Service

Bowl of Hygeia Award

For outstanding pharmacy service and leadership to the community...

For the past half century, the Bowl of Hygeia award program has recognized outstanding achievements in community service by pharmacy professionals. The award is presented to one individual from each of the 50 states at the conclusion of each state's pharmaceutical association meeting, as well as to one individual from the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and each of the 10 provinces of Canada.

The Bowl of Hygeia is a unique award in that it not only requires that the recipient demonstrate outstanding proficiency and dedication to the profession, but it's also a vehicle to encourage pharmacists to excel beyond their standard job duties and pay back their communities through exceptional public service. The award is a program of the international pharmaceutical company, Wyeth.

Southrifty Drug owner and pharmacist, Bob Grisnik, received the award in 1992.

Service to Country, Service to Community

Bob would be the first to tell you that he's a fortunate man. He's a been successful in business, he has a wonderful family and he's achieved many of his personal goals, including the privilege of wearing pilot's wings on the breast of Air Force uniform. But he maintains that for him, much of what he's achieved would be mean a great deal less without the concept of giving something back to the country and the community that have given him so much.

Bob Grisnik's adult life has been steeped in service ever since he happened to meet an Air Force recruiter, quite by accident, and expressed an interest in flying. The recruiter suggested that if he was serious about becoming a pilot, Bob should take some preliminary testing to see if he was qualified. He did...and he was and in 1967, Bob entered pilot training in the USAF. Initially, he flew cargo planes but in Viet Nam, he flew 213 combat missions piloting AC 119 G Shadow gunships. After his tour in SE Asia, he resumed his transport duties for the Air Defense Command.

Bob has a conversation on the tarmac with Senior MSGT Joe Ricker during a training exercise in Michigan. Joe, the unit's Public Affairs Officer, was, in civilian life, a radio personality known as the "Morning Mayor" on WLNG FM.

In 1972, Bob left active duty with the Air Force and moved to Southampton where he bought Southrifty Drug and immediately applied for a position with the NY Air National Guard at nearby Gabreski Airport. However, there were no openings until, in 1975, he was accepted for training as a helicopter pilot in the newly formed 106th Air Rescue Wing. Bob went on to make the difficult transition from fixed wing to aircraft to helicopters and served with that unit until he retired with the rank of colonel in 1995. Among his decorations, Bob counts the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Coast Guard Commendation Medal.

But his long and distinguished military service is only part of the story. Over the years, Bob Grisnik has been active in many local civic and service organizations including the Lions Club, The Elks, The Knights of Columbus, Civil Air Patrol, Combined Veterans Association, VFW, American Legion, The Chamber of Commerce, and The Air Force Association.

In addition, Bob has sponsored free screenings for Hypertension, Cholesterol, Glaucoma, Foot Problems and Colon Cancer. He also sponsors scholarships for 3 Southampton Schools. A member of the Board of Trustees of the Tuckahoe Common School District since 1982, Bob currently serves as it's Chairman.

The Southampton Fire District Board is comprised of five commissioners, each elected to a five year term, with one term expiring each year. The role of the Board of Commissioners is to represent the financial interests of the district's taxpayers with regard to fire protection services. Currently, this includes regular interface with the Fire Commissioner of the Village of Southampton, the entity from which we purchase fire protection services. Bob Grisnik is currently the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.