2022 -- H 8340

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LC006098

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

BURRILLVILLE LIONS CLUB AND RECOGNIZING THEIR CONTINUING

COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HUMANITARIAN PROJECTS AND

HANDS-ON SERVICE AS THEY PRACTICE THE LIONS' MOTTOS OF "WE SERVE" AND

"WHERE THERE'S A NEED, THERE'S A LION"

     Introduced By: Representatives Place, Newberry, Quattrocchi, Corvese, and Phillips

     Date Introduced: June 14, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The service organization known as Lions Club International was founded on

the principles of good citizenship and good fellowship in Chicago, Illinois in 1917; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club came into being in the spring of 1947 when

Judge John M. Booth (who later became an International Director), prevailed upon

newspaperman Louis Bleiweis to assemble a nucleus of twenty-five business and professional

men to form the charter membership of a new unit in Burrillville, which would be sponsored by

the neighboring Woonsocket Lions Club; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club received its charter at the Narragansett Hotel in

Providence, Rhode Island, from then-President of Lions International, Clifford Pierce of

Memphis, Tennessee, on April 17, 1947; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club’s first officers were: President Thomas

Eccleston, Jr.; 1st Vice President John J. Corrigan, Jr.; 2nd Vice President Louis Bleiweis;

Secretary Orville W. Ripley; Recording Secretary Joseph V. McGuinness; Treasurer Andrew

Mackenzie; Lion Tamer Gerald L. Tatro; Tail Twister Leo T. Carrier; and Directors Frank J.

Cavanaugh, Harold L. Smith, Arthur Paquette and Earle O. Tatro; and

     WHEREAS, Charter members of the Burrillville Lions Club included residents whose

families had a profound impact on the community, including past long-time Town Councilman

Louis Bleiweis, Burrillville teacher, coach, athletic director, and past School Superintendent

Thomas Eccleston, former School Superintendent Joseph C. Sweeney, and several business

owners and other professionals; and

     WHEREAS, A vital force in the community throughout its seventy-five years of

existence, the Burrillville Lions Club can look back with justifiable pride on its premiere major

project -- the Learn to Swim program for children -- originally conducted jointly with the

Woonsocket YMCA, at the former Flynn’s Beach, and now run in conjunction with the Town of

Burrillville at Spring Lake Beach; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club has continuously met at the same one

Burrillville location throughout its history -- Gus’ Red Tavern Restaurant, originally owned by

Charter Member Arthur Paquette, subsequently owned by former Club members J. Roland

Duguay and later his son, John R. Duguay, and currently by “Uncle Ronnie” and Paula Dumas;

and

     WHEREAS, Over the years, the Burrillville Lions Club has had many members serve at

the District 42 level such as Arthur B. Corvese, Dorothy A. Cardon, and Marcel A. Cote as

District Governors, Florent Reith as Deputy District Governor, and several members serving as

Treasurer, Zone Chairpersons, and in other positions; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club is the only international service organization

continuously operating in the Town of Burrillville, with service now extending into the Town of

North Smithfield; and

     WHEREAS, The Lions Club is well known and respected for its dedication to sight-

conservation issues. By conducting vision screenings in community schools, collecting and

redistributing used eye glasses, equipping hospitals and clinics, distributing medicine and raising

awareness of eye diseases, Lions work toward the mission of insuring vision for all; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions also engage in numerous local and international

service projects, promoting diabetes awareness, conducting White Cane Day which supports the

RI Sight Foundation activities, fundraising to support the RI Children with Cancer Fund,

distributing dictionaries to the third grade classes of Burrillville and North Smithfield schools,

collecting and recycling metal which supports the Fidelco Seeing Eye Dog program, support of

various food banks in the community, and much more, thereby effectively making the world and

the community they serve better places to live; and

     WHEREAS, Throughout the years, many Burrillville resident students have been

awarded college scholarships by the Burrillville Lions Club; and the Burrillville Lions Club

initiated and continues to organize, in conjunction with the Burrillville Department of Public

Works, Parks and Recreation, annual Earth Day activities, including a Town-wide awareness

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program and clean-up carried out by scores of community volunteers; and

     WHEREAS, The Burrillville Lions Club meets the needs of our community and the

world every day because “where there’s a need, there’s a Lion” and is committed to the motto:

“We Serve”; now, therefore, be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of the State of Rhode Island hereby congratulates the

Burrillville Lions Club as this superb organization celebrates its 75th Anniversary. As the

membership of the Burrillville Lions Club reflects with justifiable pride on its many

accomplishments, this House and the grateful citizens of Burrillville and North Smithfield join

the Club in looking ahead to a future replete with continued devoted service to the community;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of the resolution to the Burrillville Lions Club.

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