[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 15, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE VARIETY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ON THE OCCASION OF 
                    ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 15, 2005

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the achievements of 
the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens and its honoree, Chuck Viane, 
on the evening of the organization's 50th anniversary celebration. The 
Boys and Girls Club is a wonderful nonprofit organization that offers a 
wide array of services to New York City children. Our community's young 
people are truly fortunate to have such an effective and necessary 
resource at their disposal.
  The Variety Boys Club of Queens was established five decades ago in 
response to the growing problem of youth gangs in the borough. The 
organization opened May 1, 1955 and registered 3,000 members that first 
day. Boys came from all parts of Queens to watch movies, play games and 
participate in sports. In 1981, the club's board of directors first 
extended services to girls and by 1985, all club programs were 
available to the young women of Queens.
  Today, the club provides youths aged 6 to 17 with a wide range of 
educational and recreational activities. The club makes every effort to 
ensure that these children do not ``fall through the cracks,'' giving 
them a place to do their homework, providing learning assistance, 
promoting exercise programs, and giving them a safe place to socialize 
with other children their own age. In so doing, the Club offers young 
New Yorkers a constructive alternative to truancy, violence, street 
gangs, drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. Variety Boys and Girls Club 
members can swim in an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool, participate 
in a drama group or a cheerleading team, or use the club's Calder 
Knowledge Lab to do homework, use computers and receive tutoring. The 
club also provides flute, guitar, and karate lessons, along with many 
other stimulating and constructive programs. In short, the Variety Boys 
and Girls Club of Queens gives local kids an opportunity to succeed in 
whatever field inspires them.
  The foregoing would not have been possible without the club's many 
supporters, including tonight's honoree, Chuck Viane. Mr. Viane, 
President of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, is the recipient of the 
club's 2005 Humanitarian Award for his dedication to public service. 
Mr. Viane has worked closely with the organization and has coordinated 
such activities as a Variety Club program to purchase two neonatal 
ventilators for St. Francis Hospital in Los Angeles. Mr. Viane's 
generosity has helped the club become an even stronger force in the 
community, a fact for which I am most grateful.
  Mr. Speaker, I request that my colleagues join me in paying tribute 
to the staff, volunteers and friends of the Variety Boys and Girls 
Club.

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