The New York State Senate

J5475

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas upon
the occasion of celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes great pleasure in paying tribute to
those flourishing marriages that have stood the test of time to serve as
a paradigm for present and future generations; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to congratulate Mr.
and Mrs. Richard Thomas upon the occasion of celebrating their 50th
Wedding Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, Richard Thomas and the former Patricia Woodman were united in
marriage on May 11, 1968, at Our Lady of Sacred Heart Church, Orchard
Park, New York; and
WHEREAS, A United States Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran, Richard is a
retired Steelworker at Bethlehem Steel in Blasdell; Patricia retired
from Collections at HSBC; and
WHEREAS, They are the proud parents of three children, and the loving
grandparents of seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas are and always have been a tower
of strength, support, understanding and limitless love for their family;
and
WHEREAS, Their devotion, caring, sensitivity and responsiveness to
their family, friends and all who know them are their hallmark and
tradition; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas have lived and continue to live
their lives with great dignity and genuine grace, always demonstrating a
deep and continuing concern for human values and ideals, and in so
doing, they have inspired others to do the same; and
WHEREAS, This meaningful occasion is the result of the love, hard work
and spirit this couple has invested in their marriage; and
WHEREAS, These same values they have passed to their loved ones,
producing a family that is close-knit and supportive of its individual
members, public-minded in its relations to the community and committed
to the ideals of citizenship upon which this Nation was founded; and
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas have touched the lives of their
family and many friends through the shining example of their marriage,
which is a testament to the devotion and admiration which they possess
for one another; and
WHEREAS, The longevity of this enduring marriage truly marks a mile-
stone in life's journey, an event of personal triumph and joy; and
WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body that when an
occasion of such importance is brought to our attention, the same should
be memorialized by us for the edification and emulation of others; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas upon the occasion of celebrat-
ing their 50th Wedding Anniversary; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thomas.

J5474

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating the Bethpage High School Robotics,
Regal Eagles Team upon the occasion of capturing the FIRST World Champi-
onship in their division

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend and pay
tribute to those who, by achieving outstanding success in their educa-
tional endeavors and competitions, have inspired and brought pride to
our majestic Empire State; and
WHEREAS, It is also the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
the dedication and commitment of our young people who distinguish them-
selves through excellence in scholastic competition; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratu-
late the Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal Eagles Team upon the occa-
sion of capturing the FIRST World Championship in their division; and
WHEREAS, A non-profit organization headquartered in Manchester, New
Hampshire, FIRST was founded by investor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen
with the hopes of inspiring young people to pursue further studies and
careers in science and technology; and
WHEREAS, After earning several awards, including the Engineering
Inspiration Award at the School Business Partnerships of Long Island
(SBPLI) Regionals at Hofstra University from March 31-April 2, 2018, the
Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal Eagles Team participated in the
FIRST World Championships from April 26-28, 2018, in Detroit, Michigan;
and
WHEREAS, Upon the completion of their qualification matches, the Regal
Eagles were members of the top-seeded alliance in the Tesla Sub-Division
Playoffs and joined forces with OP Robotics (Stoney Creek, Ontario) and
Theory 6 Robotics (Mississauga, Ontario); their alliance rolled through
the best-of-three formatted quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals in
their division to a 6-1 record and won the Tesla Sub-Division; and
WHEREAS, After this monumental win, the Regal Eagles and their alli-
ance partners played in the Einstein round-robin style tournament
against the other five sub-division winners, and finished third out of
405 teams from around the globe, marking the first time since 2002 that
any Long Island robotics team has participated in the Einstein round-ro-
bin tournament at FIRST World Championships; and
WHEREAS, Robotics classes teach students various skills such as crit-
ical thinking, collaboration, communication, leadership and ownership,
all of which have led the robotics program to a high level of success;
and
WHEREAS, The incredible talent displayed by this team is due in great
part to the efforts of co-Advisors Dan Zabell and Eric Kay, skilled and
inspirational tutors, respected for their ability to develop potential
into excellence; and
WHEREAS, The Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal Eagles Team members
are loyally and enthusiastically supported by their Principal, Michael
Spence, the entire school staff, family, fans, friends and the community
at large; and
WHEREAS, The dedicated members of the Bethpage High School Robotics,
Regal Eagles Team's outstanding performance has clearly made a contrib-
ution to the spirit of excellence which is a tradition of their school
and community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the members of the Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal
Eagles Team upon the occasion of capturing the FIRST World Championship
in their division; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the members of the Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal
Eagles Team: Ysabella Bachmeier, Gianna Battaglia, Matthew Bury, Chris-
topher Cetin, Ryan Fina, Anthony Galeotafiore, Michael Hanley, Morgan
Heller, Raphael Katigbak, Aidan Lin, Maya Maciel-Seidman, Drew Maggio,
Owen Mikulski, John Mingst, Pawan Pitiranggon, Smiti Shah, Sajinder
Singh, and Blake von der Esch; and co-Advisors Dan Zabell and Eric Kay
upon the occasion of capturing the FIRST World Championship in their
division; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the members of the Bethpage High School Robotics, Regal
Eagles Team, Dan Zabell and Eric Kay, co-Advisors, and Michael Spence,
Principal, Bethpage High School.

J5473

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Raziya Hill upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of the Daniel Acker Community Service Award by
the Buffalo Branch NAACP

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance
the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Raziya Hill upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the
Daniel Acker Community Service Award by the Buffalo Branch NAACP, to be
celebrated on Saturday, June 9, 2018; and
WHEREAS, Raziya Hill is a former volunteer with Buffalo Prep and
believes nonprofit organizations should address unmet needs in the
community; and
WHEREAS, With a sincere passion for alleviating financial hardships
experienced by families, Raziya Hill founded and is currently the Execu-
tive Director of the first of its kind diaper bank in Buffalo, New York,
called Every Bottom Covered; and
WHEREAS, Modelled after the Western New York Food Bank, Every Bottom
Covered was created in April of 2016, and operates out of the Delavan
Grider Community Center; this vital organization provides diapers and
wipes on a monthly basis at no cost to low-income families in the West-
ern New York area; and
WHEREAS, The mission of Every Bottom Covered is to ensure families
have an adequate supply of diapers for their infants and toddlers; to
raise community awareness that basic human needs include diapers and
baby related products and these needs are not being met for children
living in poverty; and to advocate for policy reform to ensure diapers
and baby related products are included in the definition of and
provision for the basic human needs of families; and
WHEREAS, Under the luminous direction of Raziya Hill, Every Bottom
Covered has enrolled over 850 children since its inception; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, the organization has partnered with HOPE Buffalo
to increase teen volunteerism and Buffalo Public Schools' Office of
Parent and Family Engagement to provide supplies to participants of
their parent workshops; and
WHEREAS, When this extraordinary woman is not working on behalf of
Every Bottom Covered, she works as a Customer Due Diligence Analyst at
HSBC Bank and spends time with her son, Ahmir; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Raziya Hill has displayed throughout
her life; and
WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body to
honor and support those individuals who have displayed their commitment
to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent of this
Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to Raziya
Hill, that future generations may know and appreciate her admirable
character, her many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in
which she is held by her peers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Raziya Hill upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of
the Daniel Acker Community Service Award by the Buffalo Branch NAACP;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Raziya Hill.

J5472

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Raul Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of
his designation as recipient of the President's Award of Distinction by
the Buffalo Branch NAACP

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance
the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Raul
Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the
President's Award of Distinction by the Buffalo Branch NAACP, to be
celebrated on Saturday, June 9, 2018; and
WHEREAS, Raul Vazquez was born on January 12, 1963, in the South
Bronx, where he and his two younger brothers were raised by his mother;
as a young boy, he was inspired to become a physician after seeing the
distress language barriers caused his family during emergency room
visits; and
WHEREAS, The first in his family to graduate from high school, Raul
Vazquez received a Bachelor's degree in Biology from Fordham University
in 1985; he went on to earn his Medical degree from SUNY Buffalo in
1989; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, from 1989 to 1992, this extraordinary man
completed his residency program at Deaconess and Buffalo General Hospi-
tals; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez began his illustrious medical career at
Buffalo Columbus Hospital and Sheehan Memorial Hospital, specializing in
ambulatory services and emergency room medicine; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez opened Urban Family Practice on Buffalo's
Lower West Side in 1996; he has since expanded the scope to include an
urgent care practice and has been designated a provider-led Medicaid
Health Home; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
announced that Urban Family Practice of Buffalo had received level three
NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), the highest degree of recog-
nition available; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing the need for coordinated, person-centered care
for Medicaid recipients with multiple chronic medical conditions, Dr.
Raul Vazquez founded and incorporated the Greater Buffalo United
Accountable Healthcare Network (GBUAHN) in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Dr. Raul Vazquez, GBUAHN has
grown to serve several thousand members and employs a staff of approxi-
mately 150 individuals; additionally, GBUAHN is one of the largest
minority employers in Western New York; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Dr. Raul Vazquez co-founded the Raul
and Toni Vazquez Foundation, Inc. in 2008, to protect and enhance the
abilities of non-profit health care organizations to serve society and
their individual communities; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez is also the founder of the Greater Buffalo
United Accountable Care Organization, an accountable care organization
that seeks to transform patient lives and communities with innovative
models of healthcare; and
WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to his community,
Dr. Raul Vazquez has served on the board of directors for numerous
organizations, including Health Care Advisory Panel, Promesa Inc., HEAL-
THeLINK, Upstate New York Transplant Services (UNYTS), Hispanic United

of Buffalo, The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, WNED Television,
and Bryant & Stratton College; and
WHEREAS, He has also served as a member of the New York State Medicaid
Advisory Committee on the Minority Health Council; and
WHEREAS, An accomplished and well-loved member of the community, Dr.
Raul Vazquez has been the proud recipient of more than 20 awards for his
accomplishments in business, the medical field and advocacy groups; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Raul Vazquez lives in suburban Buffalo with his wife,
Toni, and his four children, Raul III, Nadia, Nina, and Saul; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Raul Vazquez has displayed through-
out his life; and
WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body to
honor and support those individuals who have displayed their commitment
to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent of this
Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to Raul
Vazquez, that future generations may know and appreciate his admirable
character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in
which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Raul Vazquez, M.D. upon the occasion of his designation as recipi-
ent of the President's Award of Distinction by the Buffalo Branch NAACP;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Raul Vazquez, M.D.

J5471

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Rashied McDuffie upon the occasion of
his designation as recipient of the Medgar Evers Civil Rights Award by
the Buffalo Branch NAACP

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who enhance
the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Rashied McDuffie upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Medgar Evers Civil Rights Award by the NAACP, to be celebrated on
Saturday, June 9, 2018; and
WHEREAS, As an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City of Buffalo
Department of Law, Rashied McDuffie defends the City in complex and
challenging city and state actions; and
WHEREAS, Rashied McDuffie began his illustrious career in government
as a Legislative Assistant and then Chief of Staff to a city council
member; his tireless efforts in these positions resulted in substantial
investments for various capital projects in Western New York, such as
the Frank E. Merriweather Library; and
WHEREAS, In June of 2005, Rashied McDuffie left his Chief of Staff
position to attend the University of Miami School of Law; and
WHEREAS, While earning his law degree, this extraordinary man main-
tained full-time employment and held leadership roles in several campus
organizations, including the Black Law Students Association and Student
Government; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his leadership roles, Rashied McDuffie
presented numerous CLE trainings for local attorneys and nonprofits and
was subsequently named a Public Fellow by the University of Miami School
of Law; and
WHEREAS, Rashied McDuffie worked on Hillary Clinton's Presidential
Campaign, during which time he organized events with both Hillary and
Bill Clinton, and served as an advisor on urban and faith-based policy
matters; he also worked as the Deputy Finance Associate to Florida
Congressman Ron Klein; and
WHEREAS, After completing his time in campaigns, Rashied McDuffie
utilized his talents to serve as Executive Director to the New York
State Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation, and as a state
environmental law advisor to the Senate Majority Whip; and
WHEREAS, Rashied McDuffie then served as District Director to a member
of the House of Representatives in Houston, Texas, before coming back to
Buffalo to hold his current position; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to his profession, Rashied McDuffie serves as
President of the Minority Bar Association and is a member of the New
York State and State of Florida Bar Associations; and
WHEREAS, Rashied McDuffie is also a member of the Erie County Charter
Revision Commission, the Michigan Street African American Heritage
Corridor Commission, and the Community Health Center of Buffalo Execu-
tive Board; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Rashied McDuffie has displayed
throughout his life; and
WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body to
honor and support those individuals who have displayed their commitment
to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent of this

Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to Rashied
McDuffie, that future generations may know and appreciate his admirable
character, his many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in
which he is held by his peers; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rashied McDuffie upon the occasion of his designation as recipient
of the Medgar Evers Civil Rights Award by the Buffalo Branch NAACP; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Rashied McDuffie.

J5470

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Justin D. Slate upon the occasion
of receiving the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout, the most prestigious
of Scouting honors, on June 4, 2018

WHEREAS, Justin D. Slate, through his diligence and rigorous efforts,
has achieved Scouting's highest and most prestigious rank, Eagle Scout;
the Eagle Court of Honor ceremony will be held on Monday, June 4, 2018;
and
WHEREAS, Justin Dominic Slate is a member of Boy Scouts of America
Troop 22 at St. Peter and Paul Church in Williamsville, New York; and
WHEREAS, America has achieved her greatest heights of glory through
the dedication, determination and tireless efforts of the outstanding
citizens of this Nation; and
WHEREAS, It is only with the continued diligence and devotion of our
youth, tomorrow's leaders, that America will maintain her glory; and
WHEREAS, The Boy Scouts of America and its members are dedicated to
the development of character and leadership in the youth of this Nation;
and
WHEREAS, The highest achievement of leadership in Scouting, earned by
only five percent of all Boy Scouts, is the distinguished rank of Eagle
Scout; and
WHEREAS, This outstanding young man has been involved in Scouting for
many years, has lived up to Scouting's ideals and has attained all of
the necessary achievements, including completion of a community service
project, which was successfully planned, developed and executed; and
WHEREAS, Justin D. Slate's perseverance in rising through the ranks to
Eagle Scout is a strong indication of his ability to master difficult
tasks; his accomplishment will enable him to emerge as a leader, fully
equipped to meet the challenges of today's complex society; and
WHEREAS, This new Eagle Scout is a credit to his family, his school,
his community, his State and his Nation, and no doubt his future will be
filled with accomplishments of equal importance; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations, in
recognition of the significance of this meritorious achievement, to
congratulate and honor Justin D. Slate on achieving the rank of Eagle
Scout; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Justin D. Slate.