By SÍLE MOLONEY

MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, surprised Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights with a special luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx. Also pictured is Sirio Guerino of Guerinos Against Graffitti* who is Heather’s husband.
Photo courtesy of Guerinos Against Graffitti*

Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights was honored during a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in the Norwood section of The Bronx.

 

“This gathering is an opportunity to honor Heather’s unwavering advocacy and her invaluable contributions to our community,” the invitation read. “Let’s come together to celebrate her legacy and express our heartfelt appreciation.”

STATE SEN. GUSTAVO Rivera (S.D. 33), Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Assemblyman John Zaccaro Jr. (A.D. 80), Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Childrens’ Rights, the NYPD, and others join the family of the late Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, for a vigil in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Aug. 22, 2025.
Photo by Síle Moloney

Millie Colon, president of the 41st Precinct Community Council, surprised Guerino with the luncheon, which was attended by her husband, Sirio Guerino of Guerinos against Graffitti*, several community members, including Danielle Herbert Guggenheim and Carol Lang, and members of Bronx Community Board 7, including Chad Royer and Betty Arce, along with members of the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs team, Det. Stephen Echevarria and Officer José Torres, and Anthony Rivieccio of Northwest Bronx Democrats.

MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights at a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event on May 24, 2025, held at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic’s Family & Children’s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.
Photo by Síle Moloney

The Guerinos, who reside in Bronx Community Board 7, have fostered several children over the years, and had in recent years also advocated for the renovation and reopening of the DeWitt Clinton High School swimming pool, which was later facilitated by Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11).

 

MILLIE COLON, PRESIDENT of the 41st Precinct Community Council, is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights and foster and adoptive mother and advocate for foster children, Regina Cameron, at a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event on May 24, 2025, held at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic’s Family & Children’s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.
Photo by Síle Moloney

The couple’s children attended the school, and they said it was important to put it back to use and for local students to learn how to swim.

 

HEATHER GUERINO OF Crusaders for Children’s Rights is seen plating a shrub during a shrub-planting and remembrance event hosted by the Office of the Bronx District Attorney and held in St. Mary’s Park in the South Bronx in June 2025 to remember those lost to gun violence during Gun Violence Awareness Month. 
Photo by Síle Moloney

The Guerinos and Colon regularly attend community events relating to raising awareness about gun violence prevention, including one held earlier this year in June in St. Mary’s Park in the South Bronx hosted by Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark during Gun Violence Awareness Month.

BRONX COMMUNITY BOARD 7 member and Veterans committee chair Chad Royer is seen with Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather for her work in the community. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Various participants spoke at the event and planted various flowers and plants in memory of those lost to the gun violence epidemic.

 

BEDFORD MOSHOLU COMMUNITY Association member and founder of the Northwest Bronx Democrats, Anthony Rivieccio and local resident Carol Lang, fleft and second left, are seen at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights for her work in the community. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Additionally, Heather recently worked with the Office of State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) to plan a vigil on Aug. 22 in the Williamsbridge Oval park in memory of late local teen, 14-year-old Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, who was tragically and fatally stabbed by a gang in the Norwood park on Aug. 5.

 

(L to R) NYPD DET. STEPHEN Echevarria from the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs team, Danielle Guggenheim Herbert, local community leader and teacher, Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights, NYPD Officer Jose Torres of the 52nd Precinct Community Affairs team and another colleague are seen at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Earlier this year, during National Foster Care Month on May 24, the Guerinos, together with Colon and adoptive and foster mother of 25 years, Regina Cameron, held a candlelit vigil and day of remembrance event at 853 Longwood Avenue in the Longwood section of The Bronx in front of St. Dominic’s Family & Children’s Services, to remember fostered and adopted children who have died.

 

(L to R) DANIELLE GUGGENHEIM HERBERT local community leader and teacher, Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights, and a colleague are pictured at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Speaking at that event in Longwood, Heather had said in part, “They’re not here with us today but they are with you, Heavenly Father, with you in the beautiful sky.”

 

(L to R) HEATHER GUERINO OF Crusaders for Children’s Rights is pictured with a commemorative cake at a special surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Guerino for her work in the community. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

She added, “We are here today to bring awareness to what is going on in our foster care system. We’re losing our children.” She added that Crusaders for Children’s Rights was started to advocate for foster children.

 

DURING A SPECIAL surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights for her work in the community, she was presented with this plaque with an engraving which read, “You make a difference. Presented to Heather Guerino.” 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Heather also advocates for families and victims affected by domestic violence who she alleges sometimes fall between the cracks of family court and housing court.

 

She alleges that, sometimes, when a victim is living (away from her abuser) in a home where repairs are needed, landlords do not always make timely repairs and instead seek to evict the victims and raise the rent once they get them out, even when she said there are laws in place that are supposed to protect such victims.

DURING A SPECIAL surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights for her work in the community, she was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a commemorative plaque. 
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Lorita Watson of Future of Mosholu Playground, who couldn’t make the luncheon, later said, “I hope it was a lovely event and congratulations to Heather.”

 

DURING A SPECIAL surprise luncheon held Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Williamsbridge Oval Park Recreation Center in Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood, The Bronx to honor Heather Guerino of Crusaders for Children’s Rights for her work in the community, Heather and her husband, Sirio Guerino of Guerinos against Graffitti* present a colleague with a plaque.  
Photo courtesy of Guerinos against Graffitti*

Heather was presented with flowers at the luncheon, there was also a special cake made in her honor. Sirio later described Colon as “amazing” and thanked her for “all her love and dedication.”