Niagara Association President Russ Ebbets was honored at the 98th Annual NYS Lions Clubs Annual Convention in Niagara Falls on May 22, 2022 as a 2022 recipient of the Brandel-Murphy Youth Foundation Award.
The Brandel-Murphy Youth Foundation Awards are presented to Lion members who demonstrate exceptional service in the development of youth within New York State.
Over the last two years Ebbets has coordinated the philanthropic efforts of the Lions of Western New York with the Junior Olympic programs of the Niagara Association.
In 2022 the USATF Niagara instituted USATF’s Run, Jump and Throw Program to the member youth clubs of the Association along with the introduction of the British 5-Star 5-Step testing program for behavioral and cognitive development of the young athletes. The stated goal of all these programs is to increase youth participation in the sport, promote physical fitness, improve social and decision making skills and offer a means of talent identification and development for the Junior Olympic population.