[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 29, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN RECOGNITION OF RHUDINE DORSEY

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 29, 2017

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to 
extend my personal congratulations to an exceptional community leader 
and outstanding citizen, Mrs. Rhudine Warren Nelson Dorsey, fondly 
known as Dina, as she celebrates 45 years of service with the Georgia 
Legal Services Program.
  Dina was born to John and Minnie Warren in Columbus, Georgia. As an 
``Army brat,'' her family moved around a lot and she attended several 
schools. She finished high school at William H. Spencer High School in 
Columbus, Georgia. She furthered her education at Columbus College (now 
Columbus State University) and Chattahoochee Valley Community College.
  In 1972, Dina began working at the Georgia Legal Services Program, 
formerly the Legal Aid Society, and has been an advocate for low-income 
clients with the organization ever since. She started as a receptionist 
under the management of attorney Rufe McCombs. She has since served as 
Domestic Relations Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Pro Bono 
Coordinator, and Paralegal. In these roles, she has helped numerous 
clients collect countless dollars owed to them by government agencies 
such as the Social Security Administration.
  The Georgia Legal Services Program was founded in 1971, just one year 
before Dina began to work there. While independent of the Georgia State 
Bar, the organization was formed to establish a statewide legal 
services program and provide expanded legal services in Macon, Columbus 
and Savannah. Today, the Georgia Legal Services Program serves about 
10,000 clients a year directly and many more through free legal clinics 
and ``Ask a Lawyer'' days.
  Dina's work with the Georgia Legal Services Program over the past 45 
years has been widely recognized in the Columbus community. In 2006, 
she received the Liberty Bell Award from the Columbus Bar Association. 
That same year, she received the Mayor's Commission on Unity and 
Diversity Distinguished Woman Award.
  Dr. Benjamin E. Mays often said: ``You make your living by what you 
get; you make your life by what you give.'' Not only has Dina 
established a legacy in advocating for quality legal services for low-
income people, but she has also done a tremendous job of giving back to 
the great city of Columbus, and I am very grateful for her tireless 
efforts to make the community stronger. A woman of great integrity, her 
efforts, her dedication, and her expertise in her field are 
unparalleled, but her heart for helping others is what has made her 
life's work truly special.
  On a personal note, I have been blessed to know Dina since 1972 when 
I first moved to Columbus. She and her family have been dear friends to 
me and my family and I can say without reservation that she is one of 
the most passionate and warmhearted individuals with whom I have had 
the pleasure of working.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our 
sincerest appreciation to Mrs. Rhudine Dorsey as she celebrates 45 
years of service with the Georgia Legal Services Program.

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