[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 41 (Friday, March 19, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E423]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 80TH BIRTHDAY AND LIFETIME OF SERVICE OF MS. CATHERINE 
                               MENNINGER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 19, 2010

  Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Ms. Catherine Menninger who is celebrating her 80th birthday this week. 
Ms. Menninger has selflessly committed her life to public service, 
making a positive impact to the lives of hundreds of children through 
the organization she helped establish, CEP Youth Leadership Inc. in La 
Grange, Illinois.
   Ms. Menninger was born on March 16, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York. The 
daughter of Italian immigrants, she grew up in the Belmont Community of 
the Bronx, where she was one of the first lay people allowed to teach 
religious education at the Holy Rosary in the Bronx. In the 1960s she 
moved to Chicago.
   In 1978, Ms. Menninger helped found CEP Youth Leadership Inc., which 
develops child enrichment programs and peer counseling programs for a 
diverse group of youth. Ms. Menninger served as the executive director 
of CEP from October 1980 until September of 1991. After her tenure, Ms. 
Menninger continued to work at CEP as the tutoring and mentoring 
coordinator. In addition to her extraordinary work with CEP, Ms. 
Menninger has opened her home to more than 100 foster teens.
   Her tremendous contributions have been recognized through the United 
Way Voluntary Action Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Western 
Springs Citizen of the Year Award and the West Suburban Chamber of 
Commerce Woman of the Year Award in 1999. Also, in 1995 CEP established 
the Catherine Menninger Scholarship.
   Today Ms. Menninger works as a life coach. She is blessed with five 
children Chris, Cathy, Carl, Carolyn and Lisa and six grandchildren 
Katie, Megan, Tyler, Alex, Sarah and TJ.
   Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Ms. 
Catherine Menninger for her years of service and congratulating her on 
the occasion of her 80th birthday. Her efforts and leadership have been 
a great benefit to the children of her community and truly merit our 
highest praise.

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