WWW.2 MARCH 18, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES QNS.COM
Newly formed Lion’s Club inducts its fi rst members
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
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More than 25 members were
inducted to the newly
founded the Richmond Hill-
South Ozone Park Lion’s Club at the
Ozone Park Deshi Senior Center on
Tuesday, March 9.
The club is the first fraternal
organization in Ozone Park since
1958, and the chapter will primarily
focus on senior services because
seniors are underserved in those
communities.
Romeo Hitlall, president of the
Richmond Hill-South Ozone Park
Lions Club, was happy to see the
support the new chapter received
from the community, elected officials
and the local precincts.
“I’m glad that they are focusing on
seniors. It doesn’t just have to be in
Ozone Park, Woodhaven or Howard
Beach. It can be in the surrounding
area. I’m very happy about that,”
Hitlall said.
Mohammad Khan explained that
the senior services will include ESL
classes to remove language barriers,
a senior food delivery service and
outdoor activities once COVID-19
eases and people are vaccinated.
“I’m sure a lot of them want to come
out, and they want to do something.
They want to be part of the community,”
Khan said.
Before the induction ceremony,
members held a moment of silence
for Donna Maucere, one of the
founding members of the Ozone
Park Residents Block Association,
who passed away a few days before.
Sam Esposito, president of Ozone
Park Howard Beach Woodhaven
Lions Club, announced that Donna
Maucere would be posthumously
inducted as a family member of
the Lions.
“She supported us financially. She
supported us emotionally. She supported
us endlessly, and anybody
here who knows her knows what
she did,” Esposito said.
Following the moment of silence,
four young men were honored for
their outstanding volunteer service
with the Ozone Park Residents Block
Association’s food pantry during
the pandemic. Daniel Coffaro Hill,
Sayed Hassan, and Pratyai Dey
received certificates of recognition
from Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar,
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards, Mayor Bill de
Blasio, NY State Senators Joseph
P. Addabbo and James Sanders Jr,
Assembly members Pheffer Amato
and Hevesi, Congresswoman Nydia
Velazquez and Councilwoman Adrienne
Adams. Thirteen-year-old Michael
Cheng received an award for
his exemplary work with the Ozone
Parks Residents Block Association
from former Assembly Member
Mike Miller.
Richards and Rajkumar commended
the quartet for their dedication
to the community, ensuring
that residents in need are taken
care of.
“We should encourage them to
continue to do what they are doing.
You are an inspiration to many
of the young people, whether you
know it or not, and to our community,”
Richards said.
More than 25 residents from Cityline,
Howard Beach, Ozone Park,
Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park
and Woodhaven were sworn in by
1st Vice Governor of District 20-K1V
Anthony Cochran. He expressed
how inspiring it was to see community
members dedicate their time to
help others and make a difference.
Read more on QNS.com.
Twenty-fi ve members were sworn into the newly formed chapter of the
Lions Club on March 9, 2021 Photo by Gabriele Holtermann
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