In 1963, a small group of Cuban exiles, along with some who had been members of Lions District “C” in Cuba, agreed to establish Club de Leones Cubanos en el Exilio, which translates to the Cuban Lions Club in Exile. After 16 years passed in 1979, the club joined the Lions Clubs International as the West New York Leones Cubanos de Hudson Lions Club, with a small change in their name. Today, this group has grown to become the largest Lions Club in New Jersey, fifth largest nationally, and eleventh largest worldwide, and has many men and women members from different nationalities, making this Lions Club truly international in cultural scope.
The West New York Lions Club has as its newest president Adolfo Gonzalez of North Bergen, who along with his lovely wife Minerva Gonzalez, also a Lions Club member, are the successful owners of the Liberty Nutrition System, Inc. in West New York, which distributes products to places like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The spokeswoman for the Lions Club is Mirta Cairo of Union City, and she and her husband Raul Cairo are both members of the Board of Directors of the Lions Club.
This particular Lions Club originally began in Union City and moved to West New York, said Ms. Cairo. However, after some research, they found there was also a North Hudson Lions Club in Union City in the 1970s, now disbanded, whose membership included deceased Union City Commissioner Michael A. Leggiero, who at his time of membership lived in Secaucus, and local Union City police officers and area businessmen as well as this Columnist, who was a member for two years. Thus, some of this membership could very well have joined Ms. Cairo’s group, up to the present time.
Ms. Cairo also tells us that the 2010/2011 Lions Club administration members along, with President Gonzalez, are: Dr. Rolando Diaz, Gilberto Gonzalez, Luisa Lopez Cardenas, Alberto Perez, and Mignolia Perez of Union City; Franklyn Pachay, Orgidia Velasquez, and Dr. Rodolfo Rodriguez of North Bergen; Frank De La Sota of West New York; and Blanca Mankiewicz, Lydia Bello, Carmen Beltra, Heriberto Bello, and Luis Garcia, from Bergen County.
Ms. Cairo tells us their Lions Club performs various charitable works for victims of natural disasters in countries in the Caribbean and Central and South America, as well as in the United States and Indonesia. They also fund various institutions like Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, and Hoboken University Medical Center, where Ms. Cairo is a hospital administrator. They give scholarships to high schools in West New York, Union City, and North Bergen. They also fund local food shelters and perform food-drives. Moreover, their main funding drives go to helping the blind, such as The Saint Joseph’s School for the Blind in Jersey City, and their main crusade is helping the blind and visually impaired with donations, including The Eye Banks of New Jersey and Delaware. Each month there is a different project to donate to.
Ms. Cairo advises that anyone wishing to join their Lions Club can contact any of the above listed members if you know them, or write the WNY Lions Club at Post Office Box 56, West New York, N.J., 07093. Furthermore, President Gonzalez can be telephoned at his business at (201) 662-7878. Moreover, their executive board monthly meetings are held at the Meson Madrid Restaurant at 343 Bergen Boulevard in Palisades Park, Bergen County, (201) 947-1038, the second Wednesday of every month. General meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month. Meeting times are at 7:30 p.m.
Thus, good service organizations are wonderful for community achievements everywhere. To Lion President Adolfo Gonzalez and Lioness Spokeswoman Mirtha Cairo, hear them ROAR! And All the Best!
The Weehawken Free Public Library should be congratulated for its up-to-date seasonal Newsletters, as they are so well written and informative. With book clubs, and programs for teens and adults, the library is truly a gem within the township. Kudos to Library Director Philip R. Greco and Librarian Kelly Fitzgerald!
Poet Laura Boss of Guttenberg, founder and editor of LIPS Magazine, and author of several books, has we hear fallen in love with the view of the Hudson River from her home at The Galaxy Towers on Kennedy Boulevard East. Perhaps she should write poetry or a book about America’s River. It should be a best seller!
Yadira Ortiz of Secaucus was named to the Dean’s List at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Bergen County. Leaders of Tomorrow, make us proud!
Turkeys, turkeys, turkeys! This holiday season in North Hudson County, civic groups and political groups will be giving out so many fowl, that these creatures may go on strike and put up signs telling eaters that next year, try a holiday ham, or give out vegetarian cook-books for free! All kidding aside, it seems Union City outdid everyone all over Hudson County. We hear 15,000 turkeys for Thanksgiving Day alone were given out. That is about one-third the population of the city. One turkey for a family of four – father, mother, daughter, and child – means that multiplied by four, these turkeys reached 60,000 people, as well as expected expanded family members and dinner guests. That is astounding! Superintendent of Union City Schools Mr. Stanley “Sandy” Sanger volunteered his personal time, and was giving them out himself! I know, because I spoke to him personally, and heard the excited recipient voices via telephone when I called Mr. Sanger up to wish him a happy holiday, and heard the labor of his volunteerism!
West New York mayoral aide Neil Carroll told me that there were one thousand turkeys given out in West New York. That makes 4,000 people or more, happy holiday eaters there, too! Gobble, Gobble, and away they go!
And so it goes… Until next time… See you around town… MATT.
Readers who would like to contribute to this column can do so by mailing your news items and photographs, along with your name, address, and telephone number to: Matthew Amato, columnist, c/o The Hudson Reporter, 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, New Jersey 07030.
LIONS ROAMING NORTH HUDSON COUNTY!
