8683-13 Honor Office of Migration & Refugee Services

Home Browse Search

RESOLUTION NO. 8683 -13 BY: Anderson, Bullock, Juris, Madigan, Nowlin, Powers, Smith. A RESOLUTION to honor the Office of Migration and Refugee Services of Catholic Charities as it celebrates 65 years of welcoming newly arriving refugees to Lakewood and Greater Cleveland. WHEREAS, the Office of Migration and Refugee Services has since the aftermath of World War II in 1948 helped thousands of refugees make a new home by providing safe shelter, employment opportunities, and education in Lakewood and surrounding communities; and WHEREAS, refugees have faced harrowing acts of violence, flight across borders in search of aid and shelter, and uncertain prolonged stays in refugee camps, only to travel to a strange country where they face the daunting challenges of making a home in an unfamiliar society with new rules and a new language, yet bring with them a fierce determination and sense of optimism; and WHEREAS, economic studies have repeatedly demonstrated that refugees bring far more economic benefit in comparison with costs to the cities that welcome them; and WHEREAS, with the help of our schools, library and City, these tenacious refugees from across the globe are making valuable contributions to the cultural, economic, and intellectual fabric of Lakewood; and WHEREAS, many former refugees have made valued contributions as citizens, homeowners, and taxpayers in Lakewood; and WHEREAS, for example, Dee Makorobondo at age nine arrived from the war -torn Congo in Lakewood, where his parents bought a house on Winchester Avenue; graduated from Lakewood High School in 2008 after a stellar athletic career; graduated as a true student - athlete from Dennison University with a degree in Biology; is a 6 -time All American in cross - country and track and field; started a non - profit organization and library in the Congo; and works now in Greater Cleveland as a case manager welcoming new refugees while training to compete for the USA in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, STATE OF OHIO: Section 1. That Lakewood City Council officially congratulates the Office of Migration and Refugee Services of Catholic Charities as it celebrates 65 years of welcoming newly arriving refugees to Lakewood and Greater Cleveland. Section 2. That the Clerk of Council be and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a certified copy of this Resolution to Mr. Tom Mrosko of the Office of Migration and Refugee Services of Catholic Charities. Adopted: Cc, [o L e,- "2 P E 20 1 �3 Approved: 0141. Z-ZI?" 1 President Clerk Mayor