Honor Massena Rotary Club Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 2313 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 70th Anniversary of the Massena Rotary Club on November 12, 2019 WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to those organizations of high purpose and worthy accomplishment whose endeavors have faithfully served the welfare of the citizens of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Massena Rotary Club celebrated at a dinner on Tuesday, November 12, 2019; and WHEREAS, To observe this momentous occasion, the Massena Rotary remains committed to not only serving the residents of its community, but also, individuals and various projects across the globe, thus holding true to the Rotary's motto of "Service above Self"; and WHEREAS, The world's first service club, Rotary International was founded on February 23, 1905, when Paul Harris, a native of Vermont, found himself a stranger in the city of Chicago; he conceived the idea of inviting three men of different vocations to join him weekly for fellowship and to discuss each other's problems and business; and WHEREAS, Today, Rotary International has grown into an organization including over 1.2 million members in approximately 29,000 clubs across

163 countries; each club is made up of business and professional leaders who are dedicated to humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help to build peace and goodwill throughout the world; and WHEREAS, The mission of the Massena Rotary Club has always been to fulfill community needs and advance world peace and understanding; today this is accomplished through programs and projects to support health care, youth development, sustainable communities, and cultural exchange at the local, regional and international levels; and WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the Club's dedicated members have cleaned up local highways, supported Massena's food pantries, and raised funds to send special needs children to summer camp and to benefit local organizations such as St. Vincent de Paul, the Massena Neighborhood Center and The Salvation Army; and WHEREAS, This vital organization has also provided several scholarships to students, sponsored the Rotary Interact Club at Massena Central High School, and was instrumental in the completion of both the ice rink project at Alcoa Field and the Massena Area Project; and WHEREAS, As part of its worldwide effort, the Massena Rotary Club diligently worked on a deep rock hydra-drill project in Guatemala, planted 110,056 trees in Central America, and aided the people of El Salvador by providing water storage tanks for 12 public schools and raising money for relief efforts during the aftermath of an earthquake; and WHEREAS, Since its inception in November of 1949, the Massena Rotary Club has been an integral part of the local community; the Club has made countless meaningful contributions to make Massena a better place to live, work and play; and WHEREAS, The success of the Massena Rotary Club is in direct correlation to the efforts of its President Curt Wood and its members, whose involvement is, and always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the organization and the community it serves; and WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body that when individuals and 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 commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Massena Rotary Club, and to wish it continued success in the coming years; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Curt Wood, President, Massena Rotary Club.