LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Dr. Roger Ellis upon the occasion of his
designation as a recipient of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize those
extraordinary individuals who have made contributions to the success and
progress of society in the course of their life's work; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Dr.
Roger Ellis upon the occasion of his designation as a recipient of the
Presidential Volunteer Service Award; and
WHEREAS, A resident of Granville, New York, Dr. Ellis not only brings
expert veterinary care to communities in developing countries, he also
is a champion for volunteer efforts like the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer
program; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis received his D.V.M. in 1977 from the New York State
College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University and practiced
veterinary medicine in Vermont, Michigan and New York; currently, he is
a Field Veterinarian for the New York State Department of Agriculture
and Markets in the Division of Animal Industry, and he is also a Foreign
Animal Disease Diagnostician; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis is past president of the Alumni Committee of the
College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, and the Board of
Directors of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Washington County, New
York; since 1986, he has traveled extensively as a volunteer for Heifer
International, Farmer-to-Farmer, ACDI/VOCA, and other various mission
trips in order to participate, observe and evaluate projects in Africa,
Asia, Central America, India, Russia, the Middle East and throughout the
United States; and
WHEREAS, As an ACDI/VOCA volunteer in partnership with Veterans With-
out Borders U.S. along with the United States Army and Navy, Dr. Ellis
has traveled to Honduras, Lebanon, Liberia and Russia to conduct disease
assessments and work with communities and farmers to teach them about
animal health issues; better livestock care means farmers have greater
livestock numbers, and this in turn boosts incomes, which ultimately
leads to more and better food for families; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis also spends countless hours in Washington, D.C.,
working on the Hill as a private citizen to support the USAID Farmer-to-
Farmer program and other volunteer efforts, especially those linked to
veterinary services; in 2010, along with Dr. Thomas Graham from the
University of California, Davis, Dr. Ellis helped to establish Veterina-
rians Without Borders U.S., a network of volunteer veterinarians who
work to improve the lives of animals and people; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis went on a three-week volunteer assignment in April
of 2010 to assess livestock diseases; already, he has vaccinated and
de-wormed over 1,000 animals, which has benefited 400 families across
six communities in Liberia; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ellis also trained the two livestock officers at the
Ministry of Agriculture in disease detection and treatment and has
compiled a pamphlet of the most common animal diseases in Liberia, their
symptoms, prevention and treatment to be used by the Ministry of Agri-
culture Livestock Program; and
WHEREAS, From 1999 to 2005, Dr. Ellis served on the Heifer Interna-
tional Board of Directors; he currently serves as Vice President for
Veterans Without Borders U.S.; and
WHEREAS, A member of the Granville Lions Club, Dr. Ellis's distin-
guished record merits the recognition and respectful tribute of this
Legislative Body; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Dr. Roger Ellis upon the occasion of his designation as a recipi-
ent of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Dr. Roger Ellis.