Jerry Mavros was honored by his fellow Lions on Sunday, April 28, at their Spring Benefit held at the Seawanhaka Yacht Club in Centre Island. Jerry Lalonde, co-chair of the 8th annual Lions benefit thanked the guests for coming and his committee members that made everything happen. The committee members were: co-chairs Lalonde, Ginny Williams and Doug DiRossi; auction chair Lalonde; Journal chair Robert Schadler; and members Kayel DeAngelis, Ann-Marie Hosey, David McLaughlin, Cindy Mudford, George Mudford and Chris Pflaumer.
The benefit was dedicated to Guide Dogs for the Blind, America’s VetDogs and other worthy causes. The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. was founded in 1946 and the Oyster Bay Lions club two years later, in 1948. The Lions honored artist Mort Künstler last year and for the two years before that Lions Jack Micco and Bob Whaley both of whom served for 50 years.
This year Lion Jerry Mavros was honored for his 50 years of service to the Lions Club of Oyster Bay “as well as for his passion, humor and commitment,” said Lalonde. Born and raised in Oyster Bay, Jerry grew up in the family restaurant business along side his father, and when his dad retired in 1962, he and his brother continued working in The Oyster Bay Restaurant until it was sold in 1988. Today, it is Taby’s on Audrey Avenue.
Jerry was drafted in 1951 and served in Germany (which he fondly refers to as “Casablanca”) during the Korean War. He was a Morse Code Operator for the Army. When he returned home in 1953, he married his high school sweetheart Stella.
Lalonde said, Jerry and Stella spend their time between Oyster Bay and Florida enjoying their three children, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandsons with a fourth, a great-granddaughter who is due in August.
Jerry said life is wonderful as he travels from here to Florida to spend time with his wonderful kids and grandkids. He is feeling great, except for his feet, he added. He spent his working life standing in front of the stove and where he said he wore out the linoleum!
Lions President Ginny Williams presented Mavros with the prestigious Lions Robert J. Uplinger Award.
The guests enjoyed dining on the sunny windowed porch area. Silent auction items kept people occupied. The live auction had some competitive bidding especially when the Mort Künstler signed and framed print Absolution Before Victory came up for auction. It sold for $2,300. It was number 6 of 10 signed prints. Lalonde said the generous bids by the group counted, in that it encourages the artist who has donated a print at each Lion event to continue in his generosity.
A Unique History
Künstler’s work is historically accurate and his website offers the story behind the painting “Absolution Before Victory.” On September 17, 1862, General Thomas Meagher, followed by the brigade chaplain, Father William Corby, rode along the line, offering a hasty absolution to consecrate the members of the Irish Brigade who served in the 1st Division of the Second Corps in the Army of the Potomac as they were about to fall on the killing fields of the Battle of Antietam in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Absolution prepared them for their Last Rites. This act was repeated at the battles of Fredericksburg and Gettysburg as Father Corby was there, offering spiritual strength through absolution.
Auction Items
George and Cindy Mumford of English County Flowers donated Flowers for a Year. The gavel came down at $650. An Annapolis Hotel stay of three days and two nights fetched $800. A Vermont fall getaway donated by Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Schadler, Jr. earned $700; and a winter get-away earned $1,300. Jay Palmer’s house in Sag Harbor fetched $1,250. A sail on the Christeen with a seafood dinner for six at Jack Halyards brought in $750.
The biggest auction result came from a request to sponsor a guide dog for $6,000. After hearing Linda Jones talk about what a difference having a guide dog made in her life, hands were raised as people offered to make donations. Lalonde said he believed by the hands that went up that they had reached their goal. (The story is covered in the article on Guide Dogs.)
