HR0557 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0557 LRB095 12557 GRL 37792 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Mary Ellen Eversman for being the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Sisters of St. Francis Award for Distinguished Achievement in Volunteerism; and

WHEREAS, Mary Ellen Eversman was born in Effingham in 1938; as a young child, she adopted her mother's spirit of giving; she always brought home children who no one else wanted to play with; at age 10, she was spending her money on small presents to take to the elderly in nursing homes; and

WHEREAS, Mary Ellen Eversman stepped up her efforts when she attended Marian College in Indianapolis by studying social work; there she played basketball, volleyball, tennis, and swimming, while still making time to help others; she began her career in service through two internships during college; she worked for the American Red Cross, scanning newspapers to find victims needing assistance, and she also worked for Catholic Charities, accompanying social workers when they visited the poor, the hungry, and others in need; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Marian College with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 1960, Mary Ellen Eversman returned to Effingham, where she began her career in social work that spanned three decades; she was a caseworker for a year, then was promoted to a supervisor position, where she worked with government agencies to find resources for other people; and

WHEREAS, Mary Ellen Eversman continued helping others in need after her retirement in 1991; she has ministered to shut-ins, transported the disabled to Sunday Mass, assisted at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham, and served as a pastoral care volunteer at St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham; she has recently extended her efforts beyond people to include needy animals; she volunteers at Effingham County Humane Society and is currently working to fund the purchase of land and construction of a building for the Humane Society; she also assists in fundraising for the Humane Society; and

WHEREAS, Mary Ellen Eversman also writes poems and children's literature in her spare time; she has written many books with the proceeds going to different causes and organizations, including helping to fund the building drive for the Effingham County Humane Society; and

WHEREAS, On June 29, 2007, Mary Ellen Eversman will be presented with a Distinguished Alumni Award, the Sisters of St. Francis Award for Distinguished Achievement in Volunteerism in recognition of her great deeds; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Mary Ellen Eversman for being the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Sisters of St. Francis Award for Distinguished Achievement in Volunteerism, and wish her continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mary Ellen Eversman as a symbol of our esteem and respect.