LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Mark and Mary Gearan upon the occasion
of their designation as recipients of the Springstead Award by the Gene-
va Rotary Club

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, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Mark and Mary
Gearan upon the occasion of their designation as recipients of the
Springstead Award by the Geneva Rotary Club, to be celebrated at the
Club's Service Above Self event on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at Club 86,
Geneva, New York; and
WHEREAS, Mark and Mary Gearan have given not only of their time and
energies but also of their competence, intelligence and leadership and
consequently have been designated for this special honor; and
WHEREAS, Rotary International is a world fellowship of business and
professional people dedicated to providing community service, encourag-
ing high vocational standards, and building international good will; and
WHEREAS, The Geneva Rotary Club's Springstead Award is presented to
individuals who exemplify the ideals of community service; and
WHEREAS, Mark and Mary Gearan came to Geneva in 1999, when Mark Gearan
was appointed President of Hobart and William Smith (HWS) Colleges; they
quickly immersed themselves in the community and have helped make it a
better place; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure as President, Mark Gearan set about engag-
ing HWS students to take part in volunteer service projects and forging
deeper bonds with the community; he helped to develop the Geneva Part-
nership, with a goal of making numerous investments in civic projects
and charitable organizations; and
WHEREAS, Under Mark Gearan's committed leadership, HWS has partnered
with the Geneva City School District in the Geneva 2020 initiative; this
program seeks to maximize the resources of the Colleges and the Geneva
community to provide assistance to young people in three key areas:
graduation rate, career and college preparedness, and literacy; and
WHEREAS, Mark Gearan's dedication to engaging the Colleges to help
improve civic life has been recognized in a variety of ways; HWS has
been named with distinction to the 2013 President's Higher Education
Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Commu-
nity Service; in addition, HWS was named Business of the Year by the
Geneva Area Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Equally dedicated to helping others, Mary Herlihy Gearan has
contributed her time and energies to numerous volunteer organizations,
including the Boys and Girls Clubs, Geneva Public Library-Geneva Reads
and the Geneva School District; in addition, she is a member of Our Lady
of Peace, the Women's Conference, the annual Festival of Nations and Day
of Service; and
WHEREAS, Mary Herlihy Gearan serves on the board of directors of
Happiness House-Finger Lakes Cerebral Palsy Association, and has been a
major force in the creation of the Happiness House Gala, which has
raised a significant amount of money for local children's services; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of her exemplary work, Mary Herlihy Gearan has
been the recipient of numerous awards, including the "Happiness is Help-
ing" Humanitarian Award, the Citizen of the Year Award by the Geneva
Area Chamber of Commerce, and a Sharing the Light award by Catholic
Charities of the Finger Lakes; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, Mary Herlihy Gearan was honored as a "Woman of
Distinction" by the New York State Senate; in addition, in 2008, the

International Student Association at HWS created and awarded the first
annual Mary Herlihy Gearan Award for Outstanding Contributions to the
International Community; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of their community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Mark and Mary Gearan have stood
constant in dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, With Mark and Mary Gearan throughout have been their two
daughters, Madeleine and Kathleen, both of whom feel privileged to be a
part of their parents' lives and rejoice in their achievements; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by individuals
for the benefit of others which Mark and Mary Gearan have displayed
throughout their lives; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Mark and Mary Gearan upon the occasion of their designation as
recipients of the Springstead Award by the Geneva Rotary Club; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Mark and Mary Gearan.