 
Assembly Resolution No. 164
 
BY: M. of A. Magnarelli
 
        COMMEMORATING  the  100th Anniversary of Aurora of
        Central New York, to be celebrated May 18, 2017
 
  WHEREAS, It is the custom of  the  State  of  New  York  to  proudly
recognize   and  commend  those  established  organizations  within  our
communities that, year  after  year,  diligently  work  to  improve  the
quality of life of our citizenry; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern, and fully in accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate  the  100th Anniversary of Aurora of Central New York, to be
celebrated at the "A Music  Feast  for  the  Eyes  and  Ears"  event  on
Thursday, May 18, 2017; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Aurora  of  Central  New  York was created as the Syracuse
Association of Workers for the Blind in January  of  1917,  by  a  small
group of concerned citizens that was led by John C. Fowler, a successful
businessman who was blind; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Aurora  of  Central New York was founded on the principles
that people who are blind are competent and capable to  make  their  own
living, but need certain opportunities to reach their life goals; and
 
  WHEREAS, By 1918, a self-supporting work shop was established at 269
James  Street  in  Syracuse,  where  furniture work was completed by the
blind; the shop soon became known as The Lighthouse; and
 
  WHEREAS, During the 1920s, The Lighthouse expanded  its  mission  to
provide  employment and social opportunities for anyone in the community
who was blind or visually impaired; and
 
  WHEREAS, Then in 1926, The  Lighthouse  began  receiving  funds  for
expansion  through  what was then called the Community Chest, and in the
years that followed, the organization grew and thrived  while  providing
hundreds of people with work; and
 
  WHEREAS,  As  a result of changing community attitudes, the workshop
eventually merged with two other  workshops  to  form  the  Consolidated
Industries  of  Greater  Syracuse, and its social programs combined with
the Salvation Army's Golden Age Center; and
 
  WHEREAS, In the  mid-1970s,  a  community  study  was  conducted  to
identify  the  needs  of  members  of  the community who were deaf; as a
result, the  Central  New  York  Association  of  the  Hearing  Impaired
(CNYAHI) was established as a sister agency to The Lighthouse; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In 1991, Aurora of Central New York was formed as a merger
among Syracuse Association of Workers for the Blind, The Lighthouse, and
the CNYAHI; and
 
  WHEREAS, Today, under the  able  leadership  of  Executive  Director
Debra  Chaiken,  Aurora  of  Central New York serves an average of 1,000
 
individuals per year and continues to expand  its  programs  to  include
people of all ages who are hard of hearing and visually impaired; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Aurora of Central New York's services include social work,
employment   services,    orientation    and    mobility    instruction,
rehabilitation  teaching,  adaptive  technology evaluation and training,
low vision services, children's instructional  services,  sign  language
instruction,  as well as professional Sign Language Interpreting through
the Marjorie Clere Interpreter Referral Services; and
 
  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative  Body  that  those  who
enhance  the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly  have  earned  the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Aurora of Central New York; and  be
it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Debra Chaiken, Executive Director, Aurora of Central  New
York.
Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Aurora of Central New York

What's Happening

Why It Matters
