[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 16 (Friday, January 30, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING JERRY GALELLA

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 30, 2015

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, those who choose the path of civic engagement 
can accomplish wonderful things for their communities. In Yonkers there 
are few who can claim they have done more to support the local 
neighborhoods than Jerry Galella.
  Born seven minutes before his twin brother, Jerry grew up in the 
Bronx and is the oldest of three children. After graduating from Dewitt 
Clinton High School, Jerry served in the United States Army from 1971 
to 1973 and after his discharge became a grocery store manager for the 
next 40 years.
  In 2007, Jerry became a full-fledged member of the Yonkers community 
when he joined the ShopRite of Greenway Plaza as Store Director. 
Remarkably, in the seven years Jerry has been with ShopRite he has 
become affiliated with over 25 different churches and numerous other 
community organizations throughout Yonkers. His volunteer work has 
included helping out with three college scholarship funds, including 
the Yonkers African American Cultural Club, the Dominican Cultural Club 
of Yonkers, and the Hispanic Professional Scholarship fund. As a result 
of his efforts, Jerry has been honored various accolades and awards 
from a wide array of schools, churches, and veterans' associations, 
just to name a few.
  As devoted to helping out the community as Jerry is, his real passion 
is for his family. He met his wife, Linda, at age 13 in 8th grade, and 
was immediately smitten. The teenage sweethearts would later become 
married and for the past 32 years have lived together in Carmel, NY. 
Over the course of their 40 year marriage Jerry and Linda have raised 
three wonderful children and have six amazing grand children, all who 
live within 15 miles of each other. Jerry also generously gives his 
time to many different organizations in the Carmel community, ranging 
from little league to organizations assisting veterans of the Vietnam 
War.
  In 2014, the Luther V. Garrison SR. Masonic Foundation Inc. 
Scholarship Committee named Jerry Galella their 2014 Man of the Year. 
He was incredibly deserving of the honor, and I wish to congratulate 
him on receiving the well-deserved recognition.

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