[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E320-E321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      TRUE COMMUNITY SERVICE: IN HONOR OF SISTER MARY ALICE MURPHY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 1999

  Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sister Mary 
Alice Murphy. September 1, 1999 marks the end of an era defined by 
community service as Sister Murphy will step down as executive director 
of Community Affordable Residences Enterprises. Known as CARE, the 
organization builds affordable housing for low-income residents in Fort 
Collins.
  A Roman Catholic nun, Sister Murphy came to Fort Collins in 1983 to 
lead Catholic Charities Northern where she recognized the need for 
affordable housing in my hometown. Keep in mind, before 1993, 
affordable housing was not even on City Council's policy agenda. She 
had the foresight to point out a problem 16 years ago that today has 
become one of the most crucial issues in Fort Collins. Sister Mary 
Alice could have stopped there like most critics do, just pointing out 
a problem, but she

[[Page E321]]

acted and led the leaders. She developed a plan for low income 
residents in Fort Collins which resulted in the construction of the 
Mission homeless shelter in 1989.
  Again acting with foresight, Sister Mary Alice knew the Mission 
shelter was only temporary, and shelter residents would eventually need 
a more permanent place. CARE wanted to build new homes for low-income 
residents because renovation of existing homes in Fort Collins was not 
the optimum solution. Sister Mary Alice sheparded CARE's construction 
of the 40-unit Greenbriar complex in 1995, the first of three new 
housing units for low-income families.
  Now in 1999, after almost two decades of service to low-income 
families in Fort Collins, CARE, under Sister Mary Alice's direction, 
has built three affordable housing complexes with 116 new housing units 
in Fort Collins and plans are in the making for a fourth project. When 
Sister Mary Alice steps down in September, I am proud to say she will 
still be involved with affordable housing in Fort Collins by assuming 
an advisory role in CARE's board of directors.
  Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to pay tribute to a woman who 
exemplifies community service, service to humanity and faith in God. 
Sister Mary Alice Murphy is the person who identified the need for 
affordable housing in Fort Collins and followed through by sheparding 
the construction of it. We need more citizens like Sister Mary Alice 
who see problems and fixes them.

                          ____________________