LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Society of Kastorians "OMONOIA" of
New York upon the occasion of hosting its 100th Anniversary Gala Event

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life therein; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend the Society
of Kastorians "OMONOIA" of New York upon the occasion of hosting its
100th Anniversary Gala Event on Saturday, November 27, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The Society traces its roots to the first immigrants from
Kastoria (a province of north-western Greece) in New York with the first
ones arriving in 1887; by 1910 more than a thousand Kastorians, mostly
furriers by trade, lived in New York and on August 7, 1910, the Society
was founded as a philanthropic organization; and
WHEREAS, In its early years, the Society provided significant contrib-
utions during the 1912-1913 Balkan wars and towards the liberation of
Kastoria from Ottoman rule which came on November 11, 1912 to the
delight of all Kastorians throughout the world; thereafter, the Society
was instrumental in helping rebuild Kastoria's infrastructure, including
financing the first paved road in Kastoria, the city's water supply,
donations to the city's orphanages and schools, and many others; and
WHEREAS, The Society provided moral and financial support to Greece
and the US during the two World Wars; in 1941, the Society donated
generously to the American Red Cross and purchased $16,000 in US Bonds;
as a result a US aircraft was named "The Kastorian Spirit"; since 1964,
the Society has awarded over $700,000 in Scholarships to Kastorian
Greek-American children who now hold leading positions in a diverse set
of areas such as Education, Medicine, Law, Finance, Technology, Media
and International Commerce; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Society of Kastorians "OMONOIA" of New York upon the occa-
sion of hosting its 100th Anniversary Gala Event; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Society of Kastorians "OMONOIA" of New York.