Monday, January 20, 2025
During the past year, the Baldwin Lions Club has stood out as pillar of service and a champion for the “beautiful” reputation that the hamlet of Baldwin has earned — and leading the charge has been its president, Naresh Singh.
The local chapter of the Lions Club was first charted in 1947. It is a service organization with more than 1.4 million members globally and was not well known, even prior to the coronavirus, according to longtime community members. The pandemic hampered the Baldwin Lions Club, eventually reducing the organization to just three members and temporarily halting many of its initiatives.
But ever since Singh took the helm of the Baldwin Lions Club earlier this year, he has brought back what the organization was originally founded to do — provide strength for the community, as well as assist those in need.
As a result, Singh was chosen as Baldwin Herald’s 2024 Person of the Year.
Singh, 48, has called Baldwin home for more than 20 years. He grew up in Brooklyn and eventually moved to the hamlet in the early 2000s. Now, as a father of two children, Niam, 9, and Maya, 13, he told the Herald that he was inspired by what he wanted to leave behind for his children and the community.
"As you get older, have settled down and have a family and kids, you realize you want to leave a legacy,” he said, "(and) leave the world a better place and make time."
As a partner at Lenox Advisors, a wealth and insurance advisory firm in Manhattan, Singh said he does not have much extra time, but he seems to find it to help his community. His wife, Sweety, a Baldwin Middle School PTA member, can vouch for that commitment.
"He's very busy with work," she said. "People have time to do a lot of things, but you're picking through what you make time for."
And he makes sure to dedicate any extra time he has to the Lions Club. His wife said his inspiration for taking charge came over the last few years when he began donating to dog rescues. Eventually, the family rescued a dog of their own.
"I believe that kind of action of giving and helping out kind of started that," she said. "He wants to help — communities, people. When you're blessed with everything you have, giving back is nice."
"You do well, but you have to give back, and that's one of the core tenets that I want to pass on to the community and my kids," the Lions Club president said. "If you're fortunate enough in life to have things, you have to give back to your community."
As of December 2024, the club’s membership has grown to nearly 20, and Singh said inclusion was important for him when the club restarted in February. The Lions, he said, had historically been considered an "old boys' club," with members aging out and not opening up to new people.
To change that, his wife began recruiting women to join the club, including Subrina Singh, who also serves on the PTA and is a longtime Baldwin community member and school district graduate. Subrina Singh is not related to Naresh Singh.
The first test of the club's prominence in the community was a fundraiser held at the Baldwin Coach Diner, located at 790 Sunrise Highway, on March 2. Community members, along with U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, attended to show their support.
The diner also hosts the club’s meetings on the third Thursday of each month.
Dubbed "Burgers and Basket," the March 2 fundraiser treated attendees to burgers, fries and drinks for $20 and allowed them to bid on an assortment of baskets. All proceeds helped benefit community service efforts.
The Lions Club followed that up by cleaning up the Baldwin LIRR station and planting flowers for the spring season in May.
Establishing a major presence in the community is what Singh had envisioned when he first took over as president. Members of the Baldwin Lions Club and volunteers from Baldwin High School also participated in the Baldwin Memorial Day parade later that month.
"It's really all about presence," Subrina Singh said, "and having the community know that this club is here to serve the community."
Even though she grew up in Baldwin and attended the district’s schools through high school, she said she was not aware that the community even had a Lions Club.
"I didn't even know the Lions existed," she said.
She added that she realizes the type of leader Naresh Singh has become for the club, as she considers his and his board's recommended initiatives.
"It's been very approachable," Subrina Singh said. "In his leadership, he's open to other ideas and suggestions, which I think is very important.
"Sometimes, when you have a leader in a club, they are not as open to hearing ideas from others," she added. "They are always having these open conversations, and I'm happy that the Lions have been re-launched in a way for the community to be involved and work together to see that goal come through."
Victor Sookdeo, president of the Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, wrote to the Herald about the Lions Club's impact on his childhood community of South Ozone Park in Queens, and how he believes Naresh Singh will do the same for Baldwin.
"Nonprofit organizations are the heart of Baldwin, serving as the glue that brings us together and strengthens our sense of belonging," Sookdeo wrote. "The arrival of the Lion's Club is a moment of pride and excitement, as their presence will undoubtedly enrich our town."
During a Dec. 11 chamber meeting, Sookdeo presented a Volunteer of the Month certificate to club members with Naresh Singh in attendance. Singh used the opportunity to reflect on the community events he and club members provided throughout the year, including upcoming initiatives the community can expect. One of them is a longtime tradition of the Lions Club donating unused eyeglasses as part of the Lions Recycle for Sight Program.
As 2025 nears, Naresh Singh is looking to continue with the benefits that the Lions Club has been known for, including providing scholarships and strengthening the Leo's Club, a youth organization that helps young people develop leadership skills and contribute to their community.
However, one thing that remains constant is the emphasis on community involvement — a message that the Lions Club president shares with those on the outside looking in.
"Now is the time to get involved and make an impact on the community," he said. "We're looking for more and more people to get involved."
