Published: August 01, 2008 10:28 pm            

West End octogenarian honored for giving back

If you’re trying to find Steve Fabina, chances are he’s busy helping the West End Lions Club.

Or maybe he’s doing some carpentry work around his house on Fairfield Avenue in the city’s West End or helping out a friend.

Or attending a function of the local Croatian Fraternal Union.

Fabina, who truly is 87 years “young,” is serving this year as lion tamer for the West End Lions Club.

Simply, that means he is responsible for any and all equipment the club needs for its meetings and activities.

Earlier this year, he received the Pennsylvania Lions Foundation Award for outstanding service to Lionism.

“I almost fell off my chair,” the personable Fabina said when describing his reaction to learning he was getting that honor.

But it’s not the first time he has been singled out for special recognition by the Lions.

He received the Lion of the Year award for the 1993-94 year and the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellow honor for dedicated humanitarian services for 1995-96.

“Sometimes I wonder why I was selected for these awards,” he said while sitting in the kitchen of his home.

He said it is nice to receive them because his fellow Lions choose the award winners.

He views his service as something required of all Lions.

“I just think all our projects are important,” he said.

One Lions project that is familiar to most everyone is the organization’s long-running collection of used eyewear for people in Third World countries.

Fabina collects donated eyeglasses and takes responsibility for their storage.

Another well-known Lions project is the sale of brooms.

“Anytime you want a broom, call Steve Fabina,” laughed his daughter, Debbie Zierer, also of the West End.

Each year, Fabina organizes and is chairman of the West End Lions Christmas party for the Cambria County Association for the Blind & Handicapped at 211 Central Ave.

“That’s one of our main projects,” he said.

Not only does he organize the party, he does the cooking for it as well. And the buying of the food.

Why is he so involved with the Christmas party?

“The kids enjoy the party,” he said.

He is proud of the Lions’ Leader Dog program in which seeing-eye canines are provided to the blind.

Fabina is a charter member of the West End club, being one of its organizers in the early 1970s.

He said the club started out with about 200 members and now its rolls number about 100.

He said the club first held meetings in Oakhurst. After some time, it moved its meetings to Croatian Hall on Broad Street.

Because he is a CFU member, Fabina managed to get a room reserved there for the Lions to hold meetings. He also did the cooking for those meetings.

Club members now meet at Ace’s on Chestnut Street.

Fabina recalled he was one of the club’s original members because he felt the Lions would be a positive addition for the West End.

He recalled the club played a big part in the organization of the West End Ambulance Service.

“I thought the Lions work was important, and I still feel that way,” he said.

Fabina has been a member of the CFU for more than 50 years.

He formerly was treasurer and steward. He remains active and regularly attends meetings.

He does gardening and various handyman tasks at his home. He recently built a large walk-in closet.

“If you ask my dad to do something, he’ll do it,” his daughter said.

And whatever he may be involved with, he’ll see it through.

“I don’t give up on anything. I keep plugging away,” he said.

Fabina is retired from the Lower Cambria Works of Bethlehem Steel Corp. He was employed by Bethlehem Steel for 41 years.

He is a member of S.S. Casimir & Emerich Catholic Church on Power Street.

His wife, the former Mildred Klonicky, is deceased. Her death ended a marriage of 63 years.

A son, Steve, resides in Brownstown and another son, Dennis, lives in Richland Township.

        

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