Senate Resolution No. 948

BY: Senator DEFRANCISCO

COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of Aurora of
Central New York, to be celebrated May 18, 2017

WHEREAS, It is the custom of the State of New York to proudly
recognize and commend those established organizations within our
communities that, year after year, diligently work to improve the
quality of life of our citizenry; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Aurora of Central New York, to be
celebrated at the "A Music Feast for the Eyes and Ears" event on
Thursday, May 18, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Aurora of Central New York was created as the Syracuse
Association of Workers for the Blind in January of 1917, by a small
group of concerned citizens that was led by John C. Fowler, a successful
businessman who was blind; and

WHEREAS, Aurora of Central New York was founded on the principles
that people who are blind are competent and capable to make their own
living, but need certain opportunities to reach their life goals; and

WHEREAS, By 1918, a self-supporting work shop was established at 269
James Street in Syracuse, where furniture work was completed by the
blind; the shop soon became known as The Lighthouse; and

WHEREAS, During the 1920s, The Lighthouse expanded its mission to
provide employment and social opportunities for anyone in the community
who was blind or visually impaired; and

WHEREAS, Then in 1926, The Lighthouse began receiving funds for
expansion through what was then called the Community Chest, and in the
years that followed, the organization grew and thrived while providing
hundreds of people with work; and

WHEREAS, As a result of changing community attitudes, the workshop
eventually merged with two other workshops to form the Consolidated
Industries of Greater Syracuse, and its social programs combined with
the Salvation Army's Golden Age Center; and

WHEREAS, In the mid-1970s, a community study was conducted to
identify the needs of members of the community who were deaf; as a
result, the Central New York Association of the Hearing Impaired
(CNYAHI) was established as a sister agency to The Lighthouse; and

WHEREAS, In 1991, Aurora of Central New York was formed as a merger
among Syracuse Association of Workers for the Blind, The Lighthouse, and
the CNYAHI; and

WHEREAS, Today, under the able leadership of Executive Director
Debra Chaiken, Aurora of Central New York serves an average of 1,000

individuals per year and continues to expand its programs to include
people of all ages who are hard of hearing and visually impaired; and

WHEREAS, Aurora of Central New York's services include social work,
employment services, orientation and mobility instruction,
rehabilitation teaching, adaptive technology evaluation and training,
low vision services, children's instructional services, sign language
instruction, as well as professional Sign Language Interpreting through
the Marjorie Clere Interpreter Referral Services; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Aurora of Central New York; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Debra Chaiken, Executive Director, Aurora of Central New
York.