[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN HONOR OF OSCAR VIDAL BENITEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 10, 1998

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Oscar Vidal Benitez, 
a true Cuban American hero and outstanding International Lions Club 
member.
  In 1950, Mr. Benitez joined the Lion's Club in Bayamo, Cuba. Once in 
the club he set out to be a driving force in Lionism. By 1958 he was 
President of the local club and eventually he became Governor of an 
entire region of clubs in Cuba. He became well known for his work for 
the blind by becoming Director of the Rehabilitation for the Blind 
Program.
  Like so many Cubans, he was forced to flee his homeland and settled 
in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Once in America, while 
attempting to adjust to his new country, he began his work for the 
Lion's Club almost immediately. In 1963 he founded and became President 
of the New York Lion's Club of Cubans in Exile. Mr. Benitez fought to 
get the club recognized by the International Lions Club and eventually 
the club branched out to form many active Lions Clubs in the 
metropolitan area.
  Next, Oscar Vidal Benitez moved to Miami where he was founded and 
President of the Miami Buena Vista Lions Club. In 1971, this club was 
recognized internationally for gaining one of the largest increases in 
membership in the world.
  In total, Mr. Benitez is responsible for the founding of 15 Lions 
clubs in the United States and since joining the Lions in 1950, he has 
never missed a meeting. Mr. Benitez has been internationally recognized 
for his contributions to Lionism. He has received many President's and 
Governor's medals of appreciation, he was inducted by the International 
Board of Directors as a Life Member of Lions International and he has 
been honored as a Member of the World Humanitarian Fraternity Melvin 
Jones Fellowship on three separate occasions. Mr. Benitez has done an 
incredible job of spreading Lionism by starting new clubs, attracting 
new members and raising money for charity, but his most lasting 
contributions on behalf of the Lions Club may be his work with the 
blind.
  Mr. Benitez is a life member of the Florida Lions Eye Bank Century 
Club and the Conklin Center for the Blind and he has received a 
Presidential Honor for his work with the Lions Home for the Blind, Inc. 
He is also the founder of the Home for the Blind Foundation which is 
now funded by Dade County.
  On Wednesday, June 10, the West New York Lions Club will honor Oscar 
Vidal Benitez for his incredible contributions to Lionism and to the 
community. The West New York Lions Club is the largest in New Jersey 
and it traces its roots to the New York Lion's Club of Cubans in Exile 
which Mr. Benitez founded when he first came to the United States.
  In closing I would like to thank Mr. Oscar Vidal Benitez for his 
outstanding work on behalf of the Lions Club. His work across two 
countries and three states will never be forgotten.

                          ____________________