“A LION-HEARTED MAN!!!” Secaucus Lions Club President Edward Joseph Lucas is not only a member of his beloved organization, but his life as he has lived it shows that he also has the “Heart of a Lion!” Mr. Lucas tells us that he was born in Jersey City and that he was also a resident of Weehawken for 17 years! From 1967 to 1993 he was the Public Relations Director at the Meadowview Hospital in Secaucus and is still active in public relations today, as the “reader” will learn, so read on!
Eddy Lucas is a graduate of the Saint Joseph School for the Blind in Jersey City in 1954 and is termed as totally blind. However in 1962 he was able to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts at Seton Hall University in Essex County, New Jersey. Ed Lucas then became a “motivational speaker” on various topics as well as for overcoming blindness in life! He became a member of Lions Clubs International, an organization that serves the Blind and Visually Impaired in their charitable drives and is also the “largest” Service Organization in the World, according to Mr. Lucas!
In the 1970s Mr. Lucas was a member and also a Past President of the North Hudson Lions Club, based in Union City. Also serving with him as members were former and deceased Union City elected Commissioner Michael A. Leggiero and also this columnist! As the current president of the Secaucus Lions Club, Ed Lucas is now serving his second term as its president! After college, Ed Lucas went into professional journalism and is a writer for several magazines such as Sports Collector’s Digest, Baseball Digest and Sports Scene! Ed Lucas also went into broadcasting and became a Radio Sportscaster for WJLK-Radio and WOBM-Radio. He has also been a Broadcaster for the Radio Program, “In-Touch Network for the Blind!”
Mr. Ed Lucas is also a sportswriter for The New York Yankees Magazine and a Sports-Interviewer on the YES Channel Television Station. Ed Lucas loves to speak about his personal friendships with N.Y. Yankees Greats Phil Rizzuto, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra and deceased Greats like Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio. Mr. Lucas also spoke proudly of his friendship with New York Giants Great Willie Mays! Every year Ed Lucas covers the All-Star Games and World Series. Within the past two years Mr. Lucas married his lovely wife Allison at Yankees Stadium’s Home Plate, and the whole wedding was paid for by Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner and the Yankees organization, he proudly states! His wife Allison is termed as “legally blind” and is a florist by trade!
Mr. Lucas has two sons by a previous marriage, Edward Martin and Christopher Patrick, and three grandsons, named Edward James called E.J., Adam, and Sean. Mr. Lucas goes on to say that he has been formerly inducted into the Hudson County Hall of Fame and was the Courage Award recipient from the New Jersey Sports Writers Association in 1994. As for the Lions Club, he has been Past District Governor, District #16-A of New Jersey, and of course, has received many appreciation awards for his 37 year service to the organization and the communities it serves, which includes Sight and Non-Sight Projects and Eye Banks in New Jersey. Thus, with covering up to 110 Baseball Games a year, regarding the N.Y. Yankees, the N.Y. Mets, and other teams, as well as being a proud Lion, Ed Lucas has proven to be the “King of His Jungle” as a proud professional in sports, and a Real Lion! Hear Him Roar!!! Edward Lucas, All The Best!!!…
Former Secaucus Mayor Paul Amico tells us that he recently celebrated his 94th birthday and feels great. Happy birthday Mayor Amico!!!…West New Yorker Joseph A. Mantineo, who is President of the Hudson County Area Vocational-Technical Education Association/N.J.E.A., has just been re-elected to another three-year term and is now entering his third Decade-Plus of service to his Union Local. Congratulations!…Union City attorney Leonard J. Altamura has been selected a 2007 Honoree, “Ospiti d’Onore,” in Essex County for displaying great pride in the rich Italian heritage, culture and traditions. Bravo!!!…
Sister Marcia Fidishun, O.S.F., a School teacher at the Saint John Nepomucene School in Guttenberg, is celebrating her 50th Anniversary Jubilee. Many Happy Returns of your day!!!…A recently asked question was if Weehawken Councilman Robert E. Zucconi was ever involved in law enforcement? The answer is yes! Councilman Zucconi was an assistant Hudson County prosecutor for 21 years, and we hear he served with dignity. Great going Councilman Zucconi!!!…
Krystal Cartagena and >b>William Martinez of North Bergen were both accepted to attend their respective school of higher learning, namely Centenary College, in historical Hackettstown, N.J. Best Wishes to both scholars!!!…
And so it goes…until next time…see you around town…”MATT”… Please note: Readers who want to contribute to this Column can do so by mailing your news items and photographs along with your name, address and telephone to “Matthew Amato,” Columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Thank you.