Honor Rome Lions Club

November 4, 2017 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that the quality and character of life in the communities across New York State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those organizations and individuals who would devote themselves to the welfare of the community and its citizenry; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend the Rome Lions Club upon the occasion of its 65th Charter Anniversary to be celebrated at Teugega Country Club, Rome, New York, on

October 26, 1952; and WHEREAS, The Rome Lions have performed 65 years of valuable community service, having lived up to their motto "We Serve"; and WHEREAS, In 1925, Helen Keller, addressing the Lions International Convention, challenged the young service clubs to serve the hearing and visually impaired; Lions Clubs throughout the world took up the challenge to help the blind; and WHEREAS, In Rome, the challenge was met with enthusiasm, and it became the custom of the Rome Lions that two or three Lion members would go to visit one of the visually impaired at their home or nursing home to check on their welfare; and WHEREAS, The second half of Helen Keller's challenge to help the hearing impaired also became a focus of the Rome Lions Club; the club purchased TTY's and loaned them to persons in need, and placed one at the Rome Police Department for emergencies; and WHEREAS, Moreover, the Rome Lions offer annual scholarships to students at New York State School for the Deaf in Rome, conduct hearing tests with professionals at Health Fairs, provide eye exams and glasses to underprivileged children referred by the local schools and also to the needy and collect hearing aids and eye glasses from receptacles constructed by the Lion members placed throughout the city; and WHEREAS, Rome Lions Club members are involved in numerous other community projects including installing furnaces in the homes of needy individuals, sending young adults to Colorado for special eye treatment, picking up corneas at the local hospital and taking them to the airport/bus terminal or driving them to the eye bank, packing Thanksgiving baskets for the poor, serving dinners at the Rome Rescue Mission and working at Camp Badger in Spencer, New York, and making various repairs to the camp; and WHEREAS, Today, the Rome Lions Club is comprised of 30 members; the current officers for 2017-2018 include: President David Hubman, 1st Vice President Anthony Ciotti, 2nd Vice President Mary Chmielewski, Secretary Malinda Abraham, Treasurer Mike Keenan, Tail Twister Roy Benham, Lion Tamer Trish DeFina, Historian Chuck Nutting, Membership Chair PDG Joe DeFina and Immediate Past President Victor J. Fariello Jr.; and WHEREAS, The future of the Rome Lions Club looks bright with the recruitment of young members, both men and women; one of the many goals the Rome Lions Club has achieved was the formation of a Leo Club in 2012 at Rome Free Academy; and WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend the Rome Lions Club upon the occasion of its 65th Charter Anniversary to be celebrated on November 4, 2017; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to David Hubman, President, Rome Lions Club.