[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 144 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING AUDREY KIRKPATRICK

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Audrey 
Kirkpatrick, one of South Dakota's 2007 Congressional Coalition on 
Adoption Institute's Angels in Adoption Award recipients. Audrey has 
worked with Catholic Social Services in Rapid City, SD for 30 years, 
exhibiting empathy and dedication to birth families, adoptive parents, 
and adoptees. I am pleased to recognize Audrey for her years of 
service, and extend my congratulations to her on this special occasion.
  Audrey was among the first social workers employed by Catholic Social 
Services in Rapid City when she began her work with pregnancy 
counseling and infant adoption in 1977. She remained with the agency 
until November 2002. At that time, Audrey believed the time had come 
for her to retire. However, when the program director of the agency 
resigned, Audrey was called upon to return to Catholic Social Services 
and fill in the gap during that critical time, despite suffering from 
ongoing health problems.
  Audrey continues to be active in the agency on a part-time basis, and 
is often tapped by other social workers to answer questions, direct 
people to resources, and provide ideas on how to continue expanding and 
fulfilling the agency's mission to facilitate the adoption process, in 
addition to her role working directly with families.
  Stories of Audrey's intense commitment abound. She has been available 
to families 24 hours a day, going so far as to venture out in the 
middle of the night to help a young birth mother whose car had broken 
down. On another occasion, she was present for a reunion of a birth 
mother and adult son, who she had helped to place in adoption as a 
child. The mother offered her thanks to Audrey, who had been such a 
comforting presence at the beginning and end of the adoption 
experience. It is not uncommon for people to come back to the agency to 
express their gratitude to Audrey, even years after she helped them 
through the adoption process.
  Audrey is truly an Angel in Adoption. Her contributions to the 
communities of western South Dakota are inestimable. In the words of 
one of her coworkers, ``I can say with confidence that the gift Audrey 
offered to these individuals is stronger than words can express. 
Dedication, alone, cannot describe it.'' Audrey is beyond a doubt 
deserving of recognition for her commitment to ensuring that countless 
children in South Dakota have loving families and safe homes. It is 
clear that Audrey's legacy will be one of compassion and 
caring.

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