LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Mike Esposito upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the Troy Treasure Award by Troy Rehabili-
tation and Improvement Program, Inc.

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, Mike Esposito has given not only of his time and energies but
also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently has
been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Mike Esposito
upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Troy Treasure
Award by Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, Inc. (TRIP); this
outstanding individual was recognized at TRIP & RHCR's annual Homecoming
Dinner on October 29, 2012, for his tireless, lifelong efforts toward
improving Troy and serving as the city's unofficial historian; and
WHEREAS, TRIP created this auspicious award in 2005 to honor resi-
dents, community groups or businesses which make a significant differ-
ence in the City of Troy, New York; and
WHEREAS, Mike Esposito has been a resident of Troy, New York, for most
of his 73 years; before Little Italy was known as Little Italy, it was
his home; and
WHEREAS, When the decision was made to make a formal Little Italy in
South Troy, Mike Esposito was at the forefront of helping to make that
happen; early on in his life, he recognized its potential and has dedi-
cated his life to supporting all of Troy through activism, organizing,
and recording its history through stories; and
WHEREAS, Perhaps one of Mike Esposito's most ambitious projects was
the Arcadia book, TROY'S LITTLE ITALY; he spent years collecting family
photographs, researching the people in them, and recording their
stories; and
WHEREAS, For over a year, Mike Esposito held weekly meetings to
collect and organize these stories and photos which told the story of
his neighborhood; whenever he learned of anyone's family connections in
the area, he would track them down, request photographs, and interview
them for every detail of their family's life; subsequently, he published
an incredible and personable story about the deep history in Troy; and
WHEREAS, Perhaps even more impressive than Mike Esposito's persever-
ance with this project is how he sparked other residents' interest in
Troy's history; through sharing his passion and desire to know more, he
gathered a group of dedicated volunteers to help him research and organ-
ize material; Troy's Little Italy can be found at Market Block Books on
River Street; in addition, Mike is working on a sequel to this book,
which will be entitled THE FAMILIES OF TROY'S LITTLE ITALY; and
WHEREAS, Mike Esposito has been called upon to contribute his time and
talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given
of himself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, Though he is enamored with the history of Troy, Mike Esposito
is also more than happy to immerse himself in Troy's current goings-on;
he is an integral force in helping to organize a myriad of community
events, including an annual stickball tournament, celebrations of famous
Troy residents such as Nick Brignola and Maureen Stapleton, and Troy's
annual International Festival, among others; and
WHEREAS, Mike Esposito also volunteers and organizes through a number
of Troy-based organizations, including the Troy Public Library, the
Rensselaer County Historical Society, and Troy Little Italy; moreover,
he heads up events at the Public Market throughout the year; without

this remarkable individual, there probably would not be a Little Italy;
and
WHEREAS, The Public Market certainly would not be the same without
Mike Esposito; at every event, he sets himself at a table fondly known
as The Memory Table, where he attracts people who want to know more
about their family history, people with more information and family
photos, and new friends who sit and discuss the neighborhood throughout
the afternoon; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of his community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Mike Esposito has stood constant in
dignity, good grace and humor; 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
honor Mike Esposito upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Troy Treasure Award by Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program,
Inc.; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Mike Esposito.