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Community Corner

Middletown Elks to Host Honors Night Awards

The Middletown Elks have announced an Elk of the Year, Officer of the Year and Citizen of the Year Awards that will be honored at a Feb 8th Dinner Dance.

Jo-Ann Siena is being honored as Officer of the Year while Jeff Siena was selected Elk of the Year and Morton Pear is Citizen of the Year, according to a press release from the Middletown Elks.

Jo-Ann Siena grew up in East Lyme but was born at Miami Beach Naval Dispensary in Florida. She is the daughter of the late Arnold R. and Lois Phebe Squires Weiss. She attended East Lyme shcool and gratuated from New London High School. She completed a B.S. degree in biology and mathematics from Central Connecticut State College. and an M. S. degree in education five years later.

Jo-Ann taught at Portland High School for nine years and taught pre-school classes at the YMCA in Middletown. She received a certification in computer programming from the Computer Processing Institute in East Hartford and was employed by Travelers Insurance for 12 years. In 1966, the family purchased the Coffee Pot in Portland, which closed in 2007. She married Michael G. Siena and they have lived in Durham for over 40 years.

Jo-Ann Siena has been an Elk serving as secretary since 2008, but part of an Elk family for more than 40 years. She has helped with many Elk events over the years, the Elks Lodge member said. She was active in Girl Scouting as a Scout leader, service unit manager and trainer. She served as a memberof the Durham Recreation Committee and on the Scholarship Committee of the Durham Agricultural Fair. She has served on many committees and helped with many Lodge events.

Jeff Siena has been an active member of the Middletown Elks since he joined the Lodge in 1983. He promptly became an officer working his way through the chairs and was elected Exalted Ruler in 1991. This year he ws again co-chairman of the Durham Fair Committee. Jeff co-chaired Cruise Nights again this year. He also chaired Durham-Middlefield Night for the fifth year in a row in addition to helping with Portland Night and the Golf Tournament Banquet.

During his 31 years of membership, he has helped with Lobster Nights, Steak Nights, Saturday Night Dinners, Pancake Breakfasts, Italian Nights, Thursday Night Dinners, Cruise Nights, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Portland Nights, Manes and Motions Bike Run as well as cooking for the District Deputy Clinics and wearing costumes to visit the children at the Newington Children's Hospital and Halloween events, according to the press release.

"He was instrumental in the start of Cruise nights, co-chairing the event back in the late 80's and the start of Sunday Breakfasts around the same time. Five years ago, he started Durham-Middlefield Night as a way to generate additional income for the Lodge. In spite of the fact that his current job is second shift, he continues to help with many Lodge events and offers his advice as asked.

Morton (Morty) Pear has been active in many aspects of the communtiy for many years, the Elks release said. He played football at Weaver High in Hartford and then at Middletown High thus beginning a lifelong involvement with Middletown Sports. He played slow-pitch softball for several local teams, retiring in 1992.

He coached basketball, volleyball and softwall for United Synagogue Youth as well as women's softball in Middletown and Cromwell. He then moved on to umpiring. In addition he was an active member of the Middletown High Boosters Club, president in 1986. He was a member of the Football Yard Marker Crew. He has been a member of the Ski Patrol and is a Medical Instructor on the slopes and volunteers at the Special Olympics Games.

He has been active in the Office of Emergency Management, Middletown Medical Reserve Corp and Community Emergency Response Team. In addition, Pear has been active at the Veterans Home in Rocky Hill with the JWV of Hartford and Middletown D.A.V. He has served as senior vice commander of the Jewish War veterans, Dept of Connecticut and commander of Major General Maurice Rose Post 51 of the Jewish War Veterans of the USA. Pear has continued to volunteer for veterans despite his own disabilities including hearing impairment, the Elks release said.

Pear has been nominated for the Middletown Sports Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame. In than time, Pear has been a member of the Middletown Elks for 29 years and has helped with Youth Activities, Hoop Shoot, Durham Fair as well as many other committees.

Tickets for the dinner are available by calling the Lodge at 860-346-9771.

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