[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 160 (Wednesday, December 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE MARY KERWIN'S LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY OF 
                             TROY, MICHIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 12, 2012

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Kerwin, my friend 
and a leader in the community of Troy, Michigan. This year, Mary has 
been recognized as Leadership Troy's Distinguished Citizen of 2012.
  Each year, Leadership Troy recognizes a single community member as 
its Distinguished Citizen for their volunteer contributions to Troy 
that have gone above and beyond the requirements of their employment, 
improving the quality-of-life in Troy. Mary, with her twenty-four years 
of service in both the non-profit and public sectors of Troy, has on 
countless occasions demonstrated courage and leadership that has moved 
her community forward.
  Mary's passion for building a stronger, more vibrant and better 
connected community has been a guiding force that has permeated every 
facet of her life. It is seen in her volunteer work for countless 
community organization like the Troy Community Coalition, The Friends 
of the Troy Library, the League of Women Voters and the Troy Historical 
Society. Mary's passion has also reached into the community of her 
Parish at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church where she serves as a Lector, 
Eucharistic Minister and part of its Women's Fellowship program.
  The one area where Mary's enthusiasm for the Troy community has been 
so poignantly felt is in her work with young people. Mary has served in 
a variety of positions both volunteer and elected within the Troy 
Public Schools. She dedicated personal time to being a mentor to youth, 
served as President of the PTA at Hamilton Elementary and served on the 
PTA President's Council as its Parliamentarian. As a twice-elected Troy 
School Board member, she brought the knowledge of her experiences and 
pragmatic problem-solving approach to improving the educational 
experience of the District's students.
  Mary later brought this same approach to Troy citizens while serving 
on the Troy City Council. During her four-year term, she served as 
Mayor Pro-Tern and as President of the Michigan Municipal League's 
Elected Officials Academy, a program which helped local elected 
officials improve and perfect their leadership skills to better serve 
the communities they represent.
  Today, Mary continues to be an active participant in the Troy 
community and the broader Southeast Michigan region. In her 
professional capacity, she serves as the Development and Special Events 
Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Troy, which is actively 
engaging youth to identify and develop the skills of future leaders. 
This is a pursuit that Mary also supports through her work at the 
University of Michigan-Dearborn Institute for Local Government, which 
is helping the future elected leaders of our region to hone their 
abilities.
  Mr. Speaker, our local leaders are an integral part of the fabric of 
our Nation, and this is witnessed by the passion Mary has injected not 
only into building a stronger community in Troy, but also ensuring that 
we are working to build a brighter future with more opportunity for 
future generations. It is again a great honor to congratulate her on 
her award as Leadership Troy's Distinguished Citizen of 2012. I know 
that Mary's passion will continue to be a driving force in her work 
within the Troy and the Southeast Michigan communities to build a 
stronger and more secure future for the region.

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