Northborough – The Northborough Lions Club has honored Dr. Richard Martino as the recipient of the club's 2012 Community Service Award.
Richard has been doing outreach service for the Northborough Lions Club for many years, according to a press release from the Lions. He has been a key contributor to the? sight program through a partnership with the Northborough Public School nurses, the Northborough Lions Club, and his office. When a child is identified by the school nurse as needing eyeglasses, a call is made to the Lions, who then contact Richard's office. He then gives the child an eye exam and eyeglasses, all at no cost to the child's family.
In addition to the recognition of his public service, the Northborough Lions have made a $500 donation to the charity of his choice.
“Without hesitation, Dr. Martino asked us to donate $500 to the Northborough Food Pantry,” the press release noted.
Richard has been a practicing doctor of optometry for 40 years and has been at his 137 West Main St., Northborough office for over 37 years. He has been the fire chaplain to the Northborough Fire Department for 15 years. That role helped him partner with others to establish a Corps of Fire Chaplains to serve the commonwealth of Massachusetts under the office of the State Fire Marshal Steven Coan.
Since 1999 members of the corps have been called to minister to colleagues and families who have suffered various tragedies, such as the Worcester Cold Storage Fire in December 1999. The fire chaplains have also been deployed to New York City following the Sept. 11 attacks, to Warwick, R.I., following the Station Night Club fire, and to Sturbridge, following the tornadoes that passed through the area in 2011.
Richard is married to Pearl. They have two daughters, Tracy and Carla, two sons-in-law, Bill and John, and a granddaughter, Mia.