Happy Father’s Day to our Awesome Dad… LION BEN ZOLETA!

President, CHICAGO FILIPINO AMERICAN Lions CLUB and Zone Chairman, District 1-A, Region 2-B. And… First Filipino Lion Recipient of the INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’s AWARD!

By Elsie Sy-Niebar
Very quiet and unassuming, best describes Ben Zoleta. Ben is a gentleman who is always willing to lend a hand to those who need help. More often, Ben would offer to help even before you ask him, a human trait which best fit a Lion who Serves. A very hardworking person, Ben works for Bredemann Lexus as a car technician for over 30 years to-date. This speaks well of his dedication to his work. He is happily married to Yoly Zoleta, last year’s “MRS. PHILIPPINES” of the Philippine Independence Week Committee (PIWC). Yoly owns and manages CHICAGO ELITE HOME HEALTHCARE, INC. They are blessed with two young professional sons, Bryan and Mark. The love of Brian and Mark to their Dad is well-expressed in their “Father’s Day” greetings as follows:
Eldest son, Brian: “My Dad is super-supportive! My brother and I are both creative. Our Dad always tries to help us come up with new ideas or help out with any projects he sees us working on. Do we have a “buddy-buddy-Father-and-Son relationship?” Oh course, we get our laid-back nature from him. He’s always telling jokes or teasing Mom, the only time he gets really serious is when he tells Mark and me to do some chores…like yard work.”
“HAPPY FATHER’s Day, DAD! Thank you so much for everything. We love yah! And Mom, too!”
Mark: “My Dad has a surprising amount of strength and solitude, mixed with a capacity for light-heartedness. He is quiet, yet supportive. You can see him as a great and inspiring person even if he has his “Dad hands”… (the first time he tried to text, his fingers would press all five letters around the letter he wanted). No, I don’t really have a “buddy-buddy friend” relationship with him, I think that’s just not how the classic Filipino family dynamic works. Yes, you can have fun with your parents, but if respect doesn’t come in first and foremost, you’re going to get a lot of explicit language in Tagalog and a wooden spoon!”

“HAPPY FATHER’s Day, DAD! You and Mom have taught me a lot and continue to do so. Keep teaching…
Here’s what Yoly says about Ben, her husband of 25 years: “Ben does things quietly, usually with great results. We both work hard to build our family and the future of our two wonderful sons. However, Ben is the Head and Dad of Our Family. I can say that we are very blessed, not in terms of material things but blessings we do not see which come from the Lord, our God. That’s why we try to share God’s small blessings, like to the needy, served by the LIONS Club.”
Ben’s dedication to Lionism merited him with several awards, the latest one last May 17, was the INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT’S AWARD, the second highest to the HIGHEST AWARD from LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL  The award ceremony was held in Springfield, Illinois.
Ben, who has been a Lion member since 2010, has received the following awards:..
DISTRICT 1A LEADERSHIP AWARD; HOSPITALITY ROOM AWARD;  DISTRICT 1A MARCH 2015 CONVENTION; BEST COSTUME AWARD; DISTRICT 1A LEADER DOG EVENT; and District 1-A New Club Sponsor: CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT LIONS CLUB.
Asked how he feels about these Awards in Lionism, Ben, happily, respomded: “As the saying goes, ‘where there is a need, there is a Lion.’ Community Service is the Heart of Lionism. This year, Lion membership has gone up to 1.4 million, a remarkable achievement attendant to the need of our communities with 32 millions of people served. Which means each Lion has touched 23 needy people. Imagine how many more millions of people we can help if each club had just one more Lion?”
“I feel so humbled and honored to be a recipient of these awards. I would like to share the honor, with thanks to Lion Gov. District 1-A Terry D’Souza for mentoring me, her trust in my leadership and her continued support. These awards to our club rightfully belong to every CHICAGO FILIPINO AMERICAN CLUB members especially to my hardworking wife, LIONS YOLY and to LIONS Delfin and Elizabeth Masangcay; Anita Rosa, Lourdes Livas, Leticia Freihaut, Liza Vasich, and all our officers and members not mentioned here. My thanks also go to my sons, Lions Bryan and Mark. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. SERVING THE NEEDY is SERVING GOD. Let us pray for more STRENGTH and UNITY in LIONISM. My heartfelt Congratulations to Julie Ann “Jetjet” Gruezo, the Charter Lady President of the CHICAGO MAGNIFICENT LIONS CLUB following their successful Charter Night and Induction last May 30. I look forward to us — working together in Service to Humanity. My Love and Appreciation go to my Family – my sons Brian and Mark and especially to my very supportive wife, Yoly — who is always there with me through thick or thin. I love you all. May the Lord continue to bless us. THANK YOU. Here’s a Toast in the Spirit of Lionism!
Ben and Yoly are active members of the Philippine Independence Week Committee and the Laguna Association of the Midwest, Inc. #

THE ZOLETA FAMILY: LION BEN and LION YOLY with their two Young Professional sons: Brian (left) and Mark (right).

 

Lion Yoly Zoleta as “MRS. PHILIPPINES PIWC 2014” during the picnic parade at the park, escorted by her husband, Lion President Ben Zoleta, donned in his Lions jacket.