President's Message
 

President's Message

My Fellow Astorians;

I want to personally thank all the engaged, encouraged and motivated members of the Astoria Beneficial Club for your continual support of our organization. We have been through a lot in the past 12 months and this shows how important trust, faith and commitment to something bigger than yourself means. It is and will continue to be a time to service our community, reach out to one another and be that voice in the darkness.

During our journey, we have lost several Astorians that have helped catapulted our 
organization to great heights and keep us believing in one another. They may be gone but they are truly not forgotten. As we turn the page to 2021, we look forward to what’s ahead. We are moving toward a period of Renaissance within the community and we have to be a part of it. There is a vaccine for Covid-19 and the pandemic is showing signs of slowing down. We as an organization have to continue to birth life and hope into each other and push the common values that have been inculcated within us. We have to ambitiously engage our community partners aggressively as we move toward strengthening humanity, toward change and demand equity for all involved. We have to continue to focus on building our community together, engage in service orientated projects and promoting unity, which are the values 
that we live by. We just celebrated the 61st anniversary of the Richmond 34 where Wendell T. Foster Jr. a faithful member of the Astoria Beneficial Club, stood tall on February 22, 1960 against the in justice cast upon African American people. This is just one reminder of the work and accomplishments that we as Astorians have achieved.

In conclusion, our organization was founded with men that have biblical principles, and a heart for the community. Our work is not done, and we must press toward the mark. Astoria is and will continue to be an organization of men destined to be great for the greater good of mankind.

Sincerely,

Keith Hicks
President