ABOUT US

Welcome to the Official Site for the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Myles Scully, Division One of Yonkers, New York! We are the oldest and largest Irish-American Organization in the U.S., and we are dedicated to live by our organization's motto, "FRIENDSHIP, UNITY and CHRISTIAN CHARITY." The Yonkers Division was established on November 1, 1891.

DIVISION OFFICERS


Chaplain

Fr. Senan Taylor

President
Dennis O'Brien

Vice President
Robert Eggen

Recording Secretary

Chad Ghastin

Financial Secretary
Michael Flynn

Treasurer
Kevin Hartnett

Chairman Standing
Committee

Ronan O'Brien

Marshal
Andrew Hayden

Sentinel
Justin Kennedy

NEXT MEETING


Wednesday,
Oct. 9, 2020
7:00 PM

Location:
Sprain Lake Golf Course, Yonkers

CONTACT US


A.O.H. Myles Scully
Division One
P.O. Box 1020
Yonkers, NY 10703

aohyonkers@gmail.com

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Showing posts with label President's Message. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President's Message. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

President's Message for May 2018

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis




May 2018


Brothers,

     Looks as though Spring has finally arrived!  I know I have been patiently waiting for warmer weather and thankfully it is here in time for our Annual Charity Golf Outing next week.  More on that later. First a few things to recap events over the last month.

     I first would like to welcome our two newest members Dennis O'Connor and Michael Kelly!  Our Division continues to grow and this will ensure continued success in all the efforts we do.  I would encourage every member to continue pushing recruitment each and every month as we push past the 100-member milestone this year! 

     Division #1 completed another successful parade season this year, and I wish to thank all those members who took time to march with us in the many parades we participated in.  The NYC Parade saw our largest turnout ever and we expect to keep that number to increase going forward. 

     Division #1 also hosted the Major Degree Ceremony this past weekend at Sacred Heart Church.  I wish to congratulate those members on obtaining their Major Degree!  We still have too many members who have yet to do this so we will push for more candidates when the ceremony is held again this Fall in Manhattan.  

     Out 21st Annual Charity Golf Outing is Monday, May 7th at The Ardsley Country Club.  Please bring in all outstanding sponsor and registration payments to our membership meeting this Wednesday at Maggie Spillane's.

     The 2018 AOH National Convention will be held in Louisville, KY from July 11th - July 14th.  Any member wishing to attend the National Convention can visit the convention website and book their reservations online.  The link will be provided at the end of this message.

     I will be attending the AOH New York State Board Meeting in East Durham on Saturday.  I will provide reports from the various state committees when I return.

     Finally, please remember in your prayers three people we lost this past month who were well known to members of our Division: Don Mosher (father of LAOH Division 19 President Allison Burke), Bridgette Puma, (wife of McLean Ave Merchants President RJ Puma), and Father Terence Lee MHM (Westchester County LAOH Chaplain). May they Rest in Peace.

Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President
Division #1, Yonkers




Wednesday, November 1, 2017

President's Message for November 2017

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis



November 2017


Brothers,

     The fall season is always a busy time of year for the AOH, and while busy schedules are nothing new when it comes to the Yonkers Division, I have been somewhat late with the November update due to the many events that have occurred and I finally have an opportunity to bring you up to date on what is going on.

     I am happy to announce that we have completed our Tax Exempt Application paperwork and it is finally in the mail.  I will update the membership once we have received an update on our status.  In the meantime, we have invested in a computer with accounting software that will be used by our treasurer to modernize the reporting process going forward.  This will hopefully keep us in full compliance with year end reporting requirements and this will never be an issue again.  Thanks to brothers Mike Morley and Paul Tuffy for all of the hours of work they put in over the past several months to bring us up to par!

     I wish to congratulate the entire membership as Division #1 Yonkers was awarded a 1st Place Marching Unit Award by the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee at its delegates meeting on October 16th!  This is the very 1st time the Yonkers Division was recognized as the Best AOH Marching Unit and it is a testament to your dedication for proudly representing not only the AOH, but the City of Yonkers as well!  The parade committee had high praise for how we looked on 5th Avenue and I wish to congratulate each and every one of you!  Keep up the great work!

     I was privileged to take part in a founding ceremony for the first new AOH Division in Westchester County in over 50 years.  Please join me in welcoming our new brothers of the Thomas Addis Emmet Division #17 of New Rochelle.  This Division was possible due to hard work of many brothers especially newly installed Division #17 President James McGlashin who recruited many Iona College students that make up a majority of the new membership.  I look forward to having our members get to know them and I am very encouraged to see so many new and young members join.

     I attended the New York State Board Meeting in Pearl River on November 4th and I will have a full update along with State Officer reports for the membership at our December Meeting and Installation Party.

     I am also glad to report that the Division #1 Facebook page is now a “verified” account.  If you visit our FaceBook page, you will notice a small check mark placed near the top of the page.  This “verified” status means the Facebook has confirmed that our page is authentic and legitimate and as a result we will be pushed up the list when it comes to searches and news feed placement.  Hopefully this will result in higher visibility for our Division and will lead to increased membership inquiries.  I am still working on getting our Twitter Account verified so stay tuned……

     I was also privileged to be a guest on the “Emerald Focus” Show which will air on Tuesday, November 14 on Optimum Channel 18 at 9:30pm.  I had a wonderful interview and conversation with Bob Stauf and I would like to thank him for the gracious welcome and for giving me an opportunity to promote the great work of our Division in the City of Yonkers.

     Finally, I would remind all of you that our final Officer Nominations and Installation will take place at our December Christmas Meeting and Celebration on December 6th at the Laker A.C. Club on Lake Avenue beginning at 7:00pm.  I would encourage all members to make every effort to attend as this will be our final gathering before the Christmas Holiday.  Please check the home page of our website where there is a map and directions link.

     I would like to wish every member and their families a very Happy Thanksgiving and to remember to keep in your thoughts our dedicated service men and women who are serving overseas this holiday season.

Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President

Division #1 Yonkers
Sunday, October 1, 2017

Presidents Message - October 2017


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis



October 2017

Brothers,


     Fall is in the air and we are entering a very busy time of year for the AOH as we transition from the Irish Festivals of September to the Dinner Dance months of October and November.  We have a few things to keep in mind this month, but first a few items left over from September.

     I would first like to welcome the new members that have joined Division #1 over the past 5 weeks.  Please join me in welcoming Eamonn Goodwin, Matt Mclean, Brendan Stephenson. Paul Tuffy, and John O’Brien!  I am thrilled these men have decided to join and help us grow and expand our mission.  We have placed a specific emphasis on recruitment this year and we are off to a great start.  Please continue in your recruitment efforts as we want to see growth every single month!

     The McLean Avenue Festival was a tremendous success this year and I wish to thank all of our members who assisted us in manning our booth and helping to sell raffle tickets.  Special recognition belongs to Mike Klein who sold hundreds of tickets the day of the festival and who was a big reason we were able to raise so much.

     This month, the American Irish Association of Westchester will have their Annual Dinner Dance at Dunwoodie on October 14th and they will be honoring our Division Chaplain Fr. Matt Janeczko and Ladies AOH Division #19 President Allison Burke.  I hope to see many of our members in attendance so please contact Bob Stauf to reserve your spot.

     The NY GAA Minor Board have reserved the date of November 5th for the 9th Annual Firefighter Sean Tallon Tournament beginning at 10:45am.  Please keep this date clear as I expect members to make a good showing this day as the AOH is the principle sponsor of this event. There are other events throughout the month and we will cover these as well as inform each of you through the email chain so please watch your inboxes for these important announcements.

     Since this is election season and there are many local races taking place, I will remind the membership that the AOH is a Non-Political Organization.  We are forbidden by our national Constitution from formally endorsing any political candidate, party or platform.  The penalties for violations can be severe so please contact me directly if you have any questions or need any clarification regarding this policy.

     Also, please remember that we will be having our first round of nominations for Division Officers at our next General membership Meeting on November 1st at Clarke’s Bar & Restaurant on Saw Mill Road.  Please speak to me if you are interested in serving as an officer for the coming year.


Yours in Our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President

Division #1, Yonkers
Thursday, June 1, 2017

President's Message for June 2017



PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis

JUNE 2017


Brothers,

     Summer is just around the corner!  I am definitely looking forward to our summer break.  (There are no Division meetings in July or August). Division #1 Yonkers had another tremendously successful year and I have to thank each and every one of you for the hard work and dedication you have shown every step of the way.  Let me highlight a few things as we prepare for a well deserved rest.

     I attended the AOH New York State Board Meeting in East Durham last month and I will have all of the reports and information available to you at our meeting.  We learned of a bill in Congress that could indirectly have a terrible impact on The MacBride Principles and the AOH is mobilizing to make sure that effort is stopped.  Information on this bill should have arrived in your email inboxes a few weeks ago.  I would encourage every member to please follow the instructions on how to contact our congressional representatives and alert them to the danger that The MacBride Principles face if The Financial Choice Act of 2017 passes.  Please contact me directly if you have any questions about this.

     The AOH Westchester County Board elected Brian Duffy of Division #11 Tarrytown as our new County President.  I am sure all of you will do everything to support him in his new role.  I would like to congratulate outgoing County President Aidan O’Kelly Lynch on serving 2 very successful terms and we are proud to endorse his candidacy for AOH District #4 Director.

     Thanks to all of our members who marched with Division #1 in the annual Yonkers Memorial Day Parade.  We had a very strong showing and this is very important for our Division.

     The Westchester County Board Manchester Martyrs Memorial Dinner is scheduled for Friday, June 23rd in Peekskill and we need members to submit their journal sponsorships ASAP.  If you require a sponsorship form I can provide you one.  This will be the final event before the State Convention in July.

     The State Convention will be held in Buffalo the week of July 10th.  Any members who wish to attend as delegates must submit their names to me as soon as possible so our County Delegation can have accurate credentials for you when you arrive.  Please notify me if you have not already.

     Finally, I would remind everyone of Danny Mac’s Annual Golf Outing to benefit St. Brigid’s GFC will be held on July 17th at Van Cortlandt Golf Course in The Bronx.  We are very thankful for all the support we receive from Danny Mac’s and we should support those who support us!  Event Flyer can be found below.

     I wish you and your families a very enjoyable and relaxing Summer, and we will see you all in September!


Yours in Our Motto,



Kevin Ellis, President

Division #1 Yonkers


Danny Mac's 2017 Golf Outing Flyer

Monday, May 1, 2017

President's Message May 2017


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis


May 2017

Brothers,


     Let's extend a big welcome our two new members John Walsh and Kevin Fitzgerald!  I know our members will do everything to make them feel welcome.  Remember Brothers, always be recruiting!

     I would like to congratulate those members who achieved their AOH Major Degree on April 22nd in Old Bridge New Jersey.  I hope that the experience helped guide you closer to the ideals and lessons of our organization.  We still have too many members who have not taken the Major Degree and this must be addressed.  We will attempt to hold another degree ceremony locally in the fall so stay tuned!

     Our 20th Annual Charity Golf Outing was once again a major success!  This could not have been done without the hard work and leadership provided by our Golf Committee Chairman Dennis O’Brien!  Congratulations to him and his team who put in so many hours of work to make this event bigger and better each year!  We should have a final report on the golf outing at our next membership meeting.

     We have a few upcoming events that I need to remind you of.  The first is our Ladies of LAOH Division #19 of Yonkers which will hold their Annual Happy Hour Fundraiser on June 2nd at the Glenrowan in Yonkers from 6-9 pm.  This is always a great event and I would encourage all of our members to help support our ladies!  The event flyer is located at the end of this report.

     Division #1 will also be participating in the Annual Yonkers Memorial Day Parade which will take place on McLean Ave Tuesday, May 30th.  I ask members to dress is business casual attire for this event and I will provide formation location and times as soon as they are given to me.

     The next big event that will take place is the AOH Westchester County Board’s Manchester Martyr’s Commemoration Dinner on Friday, June 23, 2017 in Peekskill.  The AOH will honor Derek Warfield (Wolfetones) and Dr, Ruan O’Donnell from Limerick University.

     Division #1 must be a major supporter of this event!  We will need members to fill several tables and provide sponsorships for the commemorative journal.  We will have flyers available at our meeting and they are also included at the end of this report.

     Finally, I will remind all members that our final Division membership Meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at Stephen’s Green Bar & Restaurant beginning at 7pm.  This will be our summer break celebration (there are no meetings in July and August) so I hope to see every one of you there that night!

(Event Flyers Can Be Found Below)


Yours in Our Motto,



Kevin Ellis, President

Division One, Yonkers








Monday, April 3, 2017

President's Message April 2017



PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis

April 2014


Brothers,

     Division #1 Yonkers has completed another successful St. Patrick’s Day Parade Season and Spring is in the air, which means we will be talking a lot about golf in the coming weeks.  First let’s recap a very eventful month of March.

     Division #1 once again participated in 4 St. Patrick’s Day Parades in the span of 7 days!  Thanks to all of those members who came out and helped our Division make an impressive showing.  Special thanks go to the “Iron Men” who braved the freezing temperatures and dangerous winds that we faced marching in the White Plains Parade.  No one can ever question the dedication of these brothers!  Once again our members turned out in large numbers to march in NYC and Yonkers.  I would also like to thank Kevin Fitzgerald, who accompanied Division #1 in the NYC Parade and took hundreds of wonderful pictures throughout the day.  The Yonkers Parade was a special one this year as Timothy Cardinal Dolan was our Grand Marshal and our own Sean McEvoy was the AOH Division #1 Aide to the Grand Marshal this year.  I would like to congratulate Sean once again on this very well deserved honor!

     I would also like to personally thank each member who nominated me to be this years Westchester County Aide to the Grand Marshal in the 256th Annual NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  It was such a tremendous honor and I have so many memories that I will never forget!  Thanks to our worthy Vice President Jim Walsh for leading the Division in another very impressive fashion up 5th Ave.  I must say it was a great experience to actually watch the Division march up the Avenue this year.  You were all a sight to see!

     The month of April will be a busy one for our Division as we now go full speed ahead on preparations for our 20th Annual Charity Golf Outing at The Ardsley Country Club on Monday, May 8th.  The event flyer and registration form should have arrived in your email inboxes early last week.  Please get these forms filled out as soon as possible as this event is always a sell out.  Hole Sponsors are the reason our Golf Outing is a success and we are always working to get new sponsors!  Please make every effort to get a few more sponsors this year!  If every member were to bring in 2 additional sponsors, we would actually triple the funds raised for our Charities and Missions Program.  We will have additional flyers available at the General Membership meeting on Wednesday, April 5th at The Whistlin’ Donkey on McLean Ave.

     The other very important event that will take place in April will be the MAJOR DEGREE.  This is a perfect opportunity for members who do not have their Degree to finally be made whole within our order.  The MAJOR DEGREE will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2017.  Division #1 will provide transportation by bus.  The event is $35.00 for candidates and $30.00 for observers.  Please make every effort to attend this very important ceremony.  Details will be provided at the General membership Meeting.

     We will also be discussing upcoming events such as the Westchester County Board Manchester Martyrs Commemoration and we will also have more information concerning the AOH New York State Convention to take place in Buffalo this July.


Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President

Division #1, Yonkers



Monday, January 2, 2017

President's Message January 2017

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis
January 2017


Brothers,

Welcome to 2017!  I trust all of you had an enjoyable Christmas Holiday season.  Let me first cover some things involving our Division since the last message I have posted.

I want to thank all of our members who helped make our 125th Anniversary dinner a great success!  Special thanks to Dinner Committee members Kevin Hartnett and Mike Morley who put in a lot of work in the months leading up to the dinner.  Thanks as well to all of the members who helped make our dinner journal a success as well!  I also wish to thank my wife Stacey who did all of the work producing the dinner journal which turned out so wonderful!  We should have a final dinner report at our Division Membership Meeting on January 4th at Danny Mac’s.

I attended a delegates meeting of The New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade on December 1st where I was introduced as the Westchester County Aide to the Grand Marshal for 2017.  This is an honor that is simply beyond simple words or description.  I thank the membership for nominating me for this wonderful honor!  The official installation for the NYC Parade Grand Marshal and Aides will be held later this month and I hope to see many of you there!

Division #1 was also presented a Marching Unit Award for our participation in the 2016 Parade!  Division #1 Yonkers was awarded 2nd Place for “Best AOH Marching Unit”.  This is the 3rd time since 2011 that we have received this award, and it is due solely to the dedication of all of our members who make the effort to look their best on parade day!  Keep up the great work!

There are several things coming up this month.  The Westchester County Board will hold a meeting on January 16th in Peekskill, I will have details at the meeting.  We are hosting the winter meeting of the AOH Metropolitan Conference on Saturday, January 28th at Rory Dolan’s.  This meeting will consist of AOH representatives from the 10 downstate NY counties and we are honored to welcome them to Yonkers.  Please make arrangements so that you can attend this important meeting.

Our Annual SuperBowl Fundraiser Pool is in full swing again this year!  This fundraiser has gathered over $20,000 for our Charities & Missions program over the last several years.  We are very thankful to Brian Hartnett, who works hard to make sure the event is successful every year.  If you have not yet taken a box in this year’s pool, you will have an opportunity to do so at our meeting.

We are confirmed for our Annual Communion Breakfast on Sunday, February 26th at St. Joseph’s Seminary.  The guest speaker will be Bishop John O’Hara and the Yonkers Hibernian of the Year will be awarded to our own Peter Van Slyck!  This promises to be a wonderful day!  Flyers will be available at the meeting.

I also wish to congratulate our own Patrick McCormack who will be honored by The Irish Echo newspaper later this month in its Annual Irish Law & Order Awards Ceremony in New York City!  This is a truly well deserved honor for Pat, who has served the City of Yonkers with pride and professionalism for many years.  Congratulations Pat!

Finally, I am grateful to announce that our deceased members list did not add any names in the year 2016, and I pray that is the case for this year as well.  I look forward to seeing you at our meeting at Danny Mac’s.  Happy New Year to you and your families!



Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President
Division #1, Yonkers
Saturday, October 1, 2016

President's Message for October 2016

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis

October 2016


Brothers,

     Fall is in the air, and we are expecting a very busy month ahead as we have many events and activities to discuss.  First let’s go over our Division’s accomplishments over the past month.

     We had a very successful day at the Annual McLean Avenue Fall Festival.  I wish to thank all of the members who assisted manning our location throughout the day.  We are also grateful to the AOH NYS Board for allowing us to use the beautiful new AOH canopy at the event.  We will also be welcoming 3 new members to our Division thru our recruitment drive that day.  We were able to raise over $2,000 in our Notre Dame Football Ticket Raffle.  This would never have happened without the tremendous work of our Vice President Jim Walsh!  Final report on this raffle will be available at our membership meeting.

     Our Charities and Missions Committee was busy once again as Division #1 was able to present donations of $3,500 to The Aisling Irish Community Center and $1,000 to The Sisters of Life over the weekend of September 30th.  Once again, tremendous work by Jack McDonald, Tom Allison and the rest of the charities committee!

     The entire attention of the membership must now turn and focus on our 125th Anniversary Events.  This includes the Division #1 125th Anniversary Mass on November 6th as well as our 125th Anniversary Dinner to be held on November 11th.  The Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church and will be followed by a brunch at Dunwoodie Golf Course.  The cost will be $25.00 per person.  Our Dinner Dance is fast approaching and we need table reservations and journal ads submitted as soon as possible!  Please bring in your paperwork and payments to our membership meeting on October 5th.

     The AOH Metropolitan Conference will hold a meeting at 11am on October 15th at the new AOH Hall in Breezy PointNY.  Meeting location and directions are listed on our website.  That same day will also be the Annual Chilly Hilly 5k run to which we are a sponsor for many years.  Division #1 will have a Water Station once again and we will need members to volunteer that day.

     We have been notified of a preliminary date of November 13th for the 8th Annual Firefighter Sean Tallon Tournament at Gaelic Park in the Bronx.  I hope to have official confirmation of that day by the time of our meeting.

     Our 125th Anniversary is only 5 weeks away!  Let’s band together and bring these efforts across the finish line!

Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President
Division #1, YonkersNew York

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

President's Message June 2016

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis










June 2016
Brothers,

         June is the traditional end of our active season for the year (there are no meetings in July or August), and we are all looking forward to some summer relaxation.  I can proudly say that our Division has once again done an outstanding job and each and every member should be proud of what we have been able to accomplish this year!

        As you know, I was one of the 39,000 Verizon workers who went out on strike against the company for over 6 ½ weeks.  I am returning to work today after a long and stressful fight.  I would like to apologize for being somewhat distracted during this time, and I also wish to thank all those members who offered words of encouragement during the strike.  It is times like this when I am reminded what a brotherhood is all about!

        The Division held its 20th Annual Golf Outing on May 9th and I have to say it was a tremendous success!  Congratulations to Dennis O’Brien for his leadership in taking over as chairman of the golf committee this year!  Once again, we benefited from our members who worked tirelessly for months making sure this event went off smoothly.  Too many members to list here, but you know who you are!  I would like to thank all of our friends and sponsors who support this event every single year.  We will have a final report at our Division meeting tomorrow night.

        We are in final preparations for awarding The Commodore John Barry Medal to 7 Yonkers Catholic Elementary School graduates later this month.  A complete list of the winners will be published once all of the recipient’s names have been received.

        The AOH National Convention is only 6 weeks away!  All of you should have received the registration packet in your email by now.  I must provide a list of delegates to the National Secretary next week, so please make sure I have your name if you plan on attending the convention as a delegate.

        Once again, I congratulate each and every member on another successful year!  We will resume our monthly meetings in September.  I would like to wish you and your family a very restful and enjoyable Summer Season!


Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President

Division One, Yonkers




Friday, April 1, 2016

President's Message April 2016

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis










April 2016

Brothers,

     That big rush of wind we are all hearing is a collective exhale after our Division has once again finished a tremendously successful St. Patrick’s Day Parade Season!  I cannot express in words how proud I am of the entire membership and how all of you responded to the call to celebrate St. Patrick while marching with pride and dignity.  We once again were able to participate in 4 parades in a 7 day span!  Your dedication and loyalty is what sets the AOH and the Yonkers Division apart!  Photos and videos have been posted on this site and I invite all of our members to check them out.

     Now that the month of March is behind us, it is now time to begin the second busy month of activities that will culminate with our Annual Charity Golf Outing on May 9th.  I want to quickly run down what is on the schedule for the month of April.

     First up is the benefit for our member Jimmy Casey on Saturday, April 2nd.  The event will be held at Danny Mac’s from 3pm-8pm and I invite all of you to come out and lend support to a great Hibernian who has suffered a tremendous injury.  I know the entire membership was shocked when we were informed of Jimmy’s accident at our last meeting, and we have pledged not only to support this benefit, but we will stand with Jimmy and he faces this difficult new chapter in his life.  Together, we will show that the AOH takes care of its own!

     Division #1 will present The City of Yonkers with a large framed copy of The Irish Proclamation of Independence at the City Council Meeting that is scheduled for April 12th.  This will be our local commemorative effort to mark the 100th Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising on behalf of the Irish Community in Yonkers and I hope many of our members will be able to attend this important ceremony.

     The next event will be the AOH Westchester County Dinner Dance that will be held at The DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Tarrytown on April 16th.  The Honorees are Tim Pat Coogan and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Thomas Foley.  Our Division has already pledges for a table and an ad, however we ask the membership to help get a second table as the County Board needs our support.  We will discuss this further at our membership meeting on April 6th.

     Next, The AOH National Board will hold its official commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising with a mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City on Saturday, April 23rd at 1:00pm.  There will be a grand procession from the cathedral to the Irish Consulate building on Park Avenue, where the Proclamation will be read aloud and there will be special after events scheduled in local establishments that evening.  We will be arranging a bus once again to take our members to and from the event so please RSVP to us as soon as possible so appropriate arrangements can be made.  Further details will be provided at our membership meeting.

     Is your head spinning at this point?  We are not done yet! I will then be attending the AOH New York State Board meeting that will be held in East Durham the weekend of April 29 thru May 1. I encourage any members to make the effort to attend as this meeting is only held twice a year and covers many important topics.

     We then face the challenge of hosting our 20th Annual Charity Golf Outing at the Ardsley Country Club on May 9th.  As many of you know, this event is the primary fundraiser for our Division each year.  The proceeds make sure that we can perform the duties and functions of our order throughout the year. Hole Sponsors are an absolute necessity to make this event a success.  It is expected of every member to at least sponsor a hole at this event.  We are also asking everyone to make an effort to bring in additional hole sponsors as we will attempt to surpass last years record breaking achievement!  Please remember to bring your donated items for our raffle gift baskets to our meeting on April 6th.

     We also will need to discuss The AOH national Convention in Atlantic City this coming July, but I think we can leave that to May. (Maybe)

     And you thought March was a busy month!?  2016 is a very special year and thus the events are many.  I know I can count on all of you to help make our Division successful in anything we set our minds to!  Let’s finish out our busy season with a successful effort!


Yours in our Motto,


Kevin Ellis, President
Division #1, Yonkers

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

President's Message for March 2016

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Division One President Kevin Ellis








MARCH 2016

Brothers,

     March 1st marks the beginning of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Season and we have a very busy schedule of events coming up over the next several weeks.  Let’s just recap things that occurred the past few weeks before we dive into all that is in store for us this month.

     Several of our members attended the LAOH Division #19 Yonkers Annual  St. Brigid’s Day Mass that was held at Clarke’s Restaurant on February 6th and it was a great success!  I am glad to see so many members actively supporting our ladies in Yonkers!

     Our Annual Communion Breakfast was held this past weekend and it was another triumph for Brendan Murphy, who has served as chairman of the breakfast committee for many years.  I again would like to congratulate Dennis O’Brien for being recognized as our “Hibernian of the Year”.  We were also able to make a $1,000 donation to St. Joseph’s Seminary as well as a $500 donation to the Xavier Society for the Blind.  Great job by everyone who helped make this event a tremendous success!

     On a most serious note, I have learned that Division #1 member Jimmy Casey suffered catastrophic injuries during the blizzard several weeks ago.  I was just informed of this terrible news this past weekend, and we must keep Jimmy in all of our prayers.  We will have more information and an update on Jimmy’s condition at our membership meeting. 

     Now for the month of March……Division #1 is proud to announce that we will be participating in 4 St. Patrick's’ Day Parades this year.  We will be marching in White Plains on March 12th, Sleepy Hollow on March 13th, New York City on March 17th, and Yonkers on March 19th.  I will be providing the specific formation times and locations for these parades at our monthly membership meeting and thru email notifications.  I expect maximum participation from our membership since this is our 125th Anniversary Year!  Please make every effort to attend as many if not all parades on our schedule this month.  We will once again be providing a bus for The New York City Parade that will depart Dunwoodie Golf Course at 11:00am on St. Patrick’s Day.  The bus will return us to Dunwoodie where we will host a gathering for members and their families from 4-6pm.  Admission is free and we welcome our members who have to work that day to join us there.

     Sadly, the month of March is also the time of year that some retailers make large profits by selling merchandise that is defamatory towards the Irish.  This happens every year and we must stand up and challenge these retailers both as a group and individually.  Please notify myself or any Division Officer if you spot local retailers selling this garbage and we will let them know that this is not acceptable!

     As we look ahead to the month of April, there are several important dates to save.  Division #1 will be presenting the City of Yonkers with a beautiful framed copy of the 1916 Easter Rising Declaration at the City Council Meeting on the evening of April 12th.  The AOH Westchester County Board will host its Annual Dinner Dance and 1916 Easter Rising Commemoration on Saturday, April 16th at The Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown.  The AOH National Board will hold the Easter Rising Centenary Commemorative Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on April 23rd. (Bus will be provided for that event as well). 


Don’t forget our Annual Charity Golf Outing is Monday, May 9th!

     This is the beginning of our busiest season, and I know the schedule would be a challenging for any organization!  Luckily I know that our membership is more than up to the task!

I would like to wish you and your families a very Happy and Blessed St. Patrick’s Day!


Yours in our Motto;



Kevin Ellis, President
Division #1, Yonkers

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