[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNITION OF KATHLEEN T. ELLIS AND ROBERT SICKLES

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                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 2010

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kathleen T. 
Ellis and Robert Sickles for the laudable achievements that make them 
the well-deserved recipients of the YMCA's 2010 Champions for Children 
Distinguished Citizen Service Award. Both are successful local business 
leaders and committed community activists.
  Ms. Ellis is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer 
of New Jersey Natural Gas, the principal subsidiary of New Jersey 
Resources. NJ Natural Gas provides energy to almost 500,000 residential 
and business customers in the heart of NJ's vacation spots. She has 
also led a robust career prior to joining NJR in 2004; Ms. Ellis served 
as the Director of Communications to former Governor James McGreevey 
from 2002-2004, and as Manager of Communications and Director of State 
Governmental Affairs for the NJ-based energy company PSE&G from 1998-
2002. In addition to all of her commendable business successes, Ms. 
Ellis has been an incredibly active member of her community, serving 
the interests of women and children at no compensation for her efforts. 
She is on the Board of Trustees for the private, nonprofit 
organization, 180 Turning Lives Around, which has focused on ending 
domestic abuse and violence in Monmouth County for 30 years. She is 
also on the board of New Jersey's PAM's List, which is active in 
raising money for pro-choice women to run for public office, as well as 
the New Jersey League of Municipalities Educational Foundation and New 
Jersey Future.
  Mr. Sickles, better known as Bob, is the owner-operator of the local 
Sickles Market in Little Silver, NJ, which has remained in business 
through three generations of Sickles. Although the Market itself was 
established in 1908 as a seasonal farmer's market, the Sickles' family 
history extends all the way to a King's Land Grant in 1663. Sickles 
Market is now a year-round, fresh foods market with 4 production 
greenhouses and over 10 acres of working farm production, as well as a 
garden center, all a result of Bob's transformative revamping in 1998 
to keep the store open through the winter in competition with big 
grocery stores without losing its unique local flavor. It is thus 
unsurprising that Mr. Sickles has been the recipient of many awards in 
recognition of the Market's distinctive success, including the 2004 
Innovator of the Year Award from Garden Center Management & 
Merchandising Magazine and ``Random Acts of Beauty 2008'' by the Little 
Silver Garden Club, to name only a few. Mr. Sickles is also heavily 
involved in his community, hosting Back to Garden and Kids Day events 
at the Market in order to educate children about healthy living and 
environmental awareness. In 2008, Sickles Market raised over $300,000 
over 5 years for the Holiday Express annual fundraiser, a local charity 
for the disadvantaged.
  Madam Speaker, I would once more like to thank Kathleen Ellis and 
Robert Sickles for their contributions to their businesses and to their 
communities, and congratulate them again on their 2010 Distinguished 
Citizen Services awards from the YMCA, which they both highly deserve.

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