The meeting on November 26, 2025, was a special recognition ceremony honoring John Ciullo for his 52 years of dedicated service at the Fall River Boys and Girls Club. Speakers, including Mayor Vic Pereira, a new city council member named Mike, State Representative Carol Fiola, and Senator Mike Rogers, lauded Ciullo's profound and positive impact on thousands of children's lives in Fall River. Mayor Pereira specifically credited Ciullo with changing his life. Ciullo was presented with the Fall River Icon Award, an engraved bat courtesy of Louis Loo and Axis Bat Company, and a citation from the community. Ciullo, visibly moved, expressed his gratitude to the staff and members, emphasizing the overwhelming joy he found in making a difference. His sister also spoke, thanking the community and the Boys and Girls Club for their support. During an interview, Ciullo reflected on the rewarding experience of seeing former club kids as adults and the humbling role he played as a mentor and father figure to many, sharing his hope that the children he influenced would carry forward and spread love, laughter, and joy.
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Hi. So, we're all gathered here today.
0:02Uh we've actually played a little bit of a a joke on someone. Uh we're actually not here to honor Lenny Sylvia today.
0:12We're here to honor John Sulio who's been worked at the Boys and Girls Club for close to 40 years and made a difference in countless lives of kids in Fall River. So, Mr. Mayor or Vic, do you want to say a couple of words about John?
0:30Oh man, I don't have enough time.
0:34Um, John Sulio is amazing individual who I had a pleasure of being here when I was a youth and he changed my life tremendously. I would not be here today without John's influences. Um, love him dearly. That's why I'm here. And again, John Culio is the Boys and Girls Club.
0:55Thank you.
1:02up there, Johnny boy.
1:05Okay. So, I knew John when he was that big.
1:11Forever. Yeah. Last weekend. Okay. Um, John was born in 59 and he was present for the dedication of this building in ' 67. He remembers the late Senator Ted Kenny was one of the speakers at that very happy occasion. Soon after he joined the club, he paid his dollar or his $2 a year dues. And 52 years ago, it started. He attended Diamond where he excelled in graphic arts and track and
1:39field. He found time beginning his sophomore year to work part-time in this very club, checking coats, jackets, and giving out games and sports equipment to the kids.
1:52John then spent two years working in the pool. After graduating from high school at age 16, he typically worked 35 hours a week right here at the club with his mentor and director, Al Carrera, who later hired him full-time on his 18th birthday.
2:09John positively impacted the lives of thousands of youngsters.
2:14One example would be John Pers persuaded several of the Beverly Street neighbors, including Vic Pereira, to forfeit playing outdoor street hockey in favor of joining the club and learning the game of basketball.
2:28Vic became a notable ball player across the city and for Dery and a very, very enthusiastic educator and made the life better for countless kids. Also, for John's tremendous efforts to improve the lives of our kids, we honor him with the Fall River Icon Award, courtesy of Louis Loo and his bat company.
2:49Congratulations, John. This bat's for you. A Fall River icon, John Sulio, for 52 years of service to the Boys and Girls Club. Congratulations, Johnny.
3:00Oh, Mr. Mayor, thank you very much.
3:03Very nice.
3:05But now you got to say a few words. You want me to hold that back there for you?
3:09Yeah. Okay.
3:09All right.
3:11Uh, I would like to thank everyone and I had no idea that this was going to happen. But I would like to thank each and everyone of the people here today.
3:30And [clears throat] also I would like to thank all the members of the club that I had the pleasure of all my years being here of making a difference in their lives. And it it just overwhelms me to think that I could have such a positive impact, but I did.
4:02And I love the kids as well as the staff. Thank you very much.
4:16We do have a couple of special guests with us. I want um Mike, our new city council, come up. say a few words.
4:23Go right ahead.
4:25I just uh know John through my parish, Holy Name Church. He's always been a wonderful man, always helping out in the community, and I just want to be here for him today and thank him for his service. Thank you.
4:36Thank you. Thank you.
4:39And uh also with us is State Representative Carol Fiola and Senator Mike Rogers. They may want to come up and say a few words. That'd be great.
4:47John, you are an icon.
4:52So, I have the pleasure of not only being uh John's state representative, but being his friend and uh to be here with his family and to know that the impact you have made, John is incredible.
5:08Every child that you run into wherever you go, hi John. Hi, John. They know you. Um, your family is always there for you and you are always there for your family. Y and this club has been your home.
5:23This club has uh been a such a important part of your life.
5:27Yeah.
5:28And um I think it's only fitting that the community and the club say thank you. And so we have a citation for you.
5:36And basically it says all the stuff that citations say. Uh but most important it says thank you John. Congratulations on being an icon in the city of Fall River.
5:48Thank you.
5:50Thank you.
5:51Thank you.
5:53John, you have been my friend much longer than the 30 years that I've had the honor of serving as as a legislator.
6:00And uh through my tenure, I spent so much time here at the club. Every time I came in, see your smiling face. And not only have you given so much to the club, but you have given so much to this community, so much to the youth, so many so much to the youth who are now adults who are giving back this community. I'm proud. My grandson became a became a
6:20club kid last night. So, uh, you know, so I am so proud of that. Um, and it's from it's just you just gave so much because of all of your efforts. This club is just so important to the city of Far. Thank you, John. You're a good man.
6:35Yeah.
6:35Thank you.
6:36Thank you.
6:41I'm gonna give him the bat now. I feel like keeping it. But again, Louis Leoo and Axis Bat Company did a great thing having it engraved for John so he can keep it as a momento for the next 40 or 50 years as long as he lives like the rest of us. That's right. Exactly.
6:56Again, congratulations, John. Thank you, everybody.
7:03And I would again just like to say thank you to all the staff and all the people who has made this place possible and all the children that we serve.
7:23Thank you very much.
7:25All right.
7:30Thank you.
7:30Um, just on behalf of the Sulio family, I'm the baby of the bunch and I would like to say thank you to everyone who is here who has made this award special for John. Um, thank you to Lulu. Thank you to his dear friend, Phil Sylvia, who is supportive and always good to John. And I will say that today is recognition of John's commitment to the youth of Fall River. And we as his family would also
8:09like to recognize the community, the Boys and Girls Club, the city that has wrapped their arms around John and through stood by him through his journey. and we are very proud of you.
8:25Thank you.
8:26Thank you.
8:34May we ask you some questions?
8:36Oh, yes, certainly.
8:40Repiola referred to what it's like when you run into other children that you had maybe at the grocery store. What kind of an exchange do you have now that those kids are adults?
8:51It is it is truly unbelievable because when you know when you see them in here it's you know hey let's do this let's play this let's do that but then now that they're adults they're kids and whenever they see me they do not think twice about hey I got to say hi Hi to John. And I go over, I say hi to John, I say say hi to them. And then I say hello
9:28to their kids and sometime their grandchildren.
9:34Working with children like that is generally not a job that makes you wealthy, but it's rewarding in other ways.
9:42the what I do not get in financial money I make up tenfold in my heart my the the good feeling that I get that I know I made a difference and I also notice some of the children that you know don't have many friends or whatever I go over to them. I introduce myself to them. And then uh I say, "Hey, you want to play a little pingpong and I let them win?" And I'm like, "What
10:28what are you doing? You can't be beating me." And they just they they get into it or pool or what? pingpong, whatever it is. And I've made another attachment.
10:44I've made another connection.
10:47And that's all I aim to do. Make connections.
10:51And Mr. Culio, what lessons do you hope they bring forward from when they were so young and now, as you said, they may even be grandparents.
11:00I want them to be the example that I set for them to spread the same love, laughter, and joy that they bring to my life and to to share it with other members.
11:27And Mr. Sulio, it's no secret that we have some poverty here in the city. Some of these kids don't have father figures or uncles or older brothers. Did you find yourself playing that role occasionally?
11:39Yes. Yes. The def uh that was a it's a very humbling and rewarding feeling that I get. It's it's it's humbling knowing that I made a difference.
12:00I had a little say. I'm not saying I did everything, but I helped as many as I could.
12:11Thank Thank you.
12:16Thank you very much.