[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16191]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING SISTER MARY SIMON ON RECEIVING JUDITH STANLEY COLEMAN 
      AWARD FROM THE VISITING NURSES ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL JERSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 19, 2004

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sister Mary Simon 
for receiving the Judith Stanley Coleman Award from the Visiting Nurses 
Association of Central Jersey. The award is given annually to a 
community leader who exemplifies a positive attitude, significant 
service in health care, vigilance and passionate advocacy for community 
health issues, and strong networking in the community. Sister Simon is 
a tremendous person whose heart is full of compassion for her fellow 
humans and she fully deserves of this prestigious award.
  Sister Mary Simon has taught in various grammar schools throughout 
the diocese of Trenton over the past 19 years. In 1975, upon completion 
of her Master's in Education, she was appointed director of senior 
services in Keansburg. It was in this post that she determined that 
transportation, education, and health were the most pressing needs of 
local seniors. Sister Simon obtained a van for senior transportation 
and created a GED program for seniors to complete their high school 
diplomas. However, it was in health that Sister Simon found her true 
calling. She was able to get local nurses to conduct free blood 
pressure screening and health education classes for the local seniors. 
Sister says, soon she arranged with the Visiting Nurses Association of 
Central Jersey to identify local residents who needed care and assisted 
the nurses to meet the patient's needs.
  Six years later Sister Simon was appointed as the Executive Director 
of the Monmouth County Office of Aging. There she helped establish many 
innovative programs which still exist today, including a collaboration 
with the Visiting Nurses Association of Central Jersey that bring 
nursing and physical therapy to low income and minority seniors.
  In 1998, Sister Simon was appointed Coordinator of New Jersey Adult 
Protective Services. Working on behalf of seniors statewide, Sister 
Simon was responsible for overseeing the safety of the most at-risk 
seniors in the state--living in abusive or potentially abusive 
situations.
  After a long career spent improving the health of New Jersey seniors 
Sister Simon was ready to retire but soon she had a new assignment 
assisting seniors in central Jersey. Since 2001, she has been working 
on behalf of Bishop John Smith and the Trenton diocese again as 
Coordinator of their Ministry to the Aging. Sister Simon is now working 
on behalf of the 363,967 seniors in Monmouth, Ocean, Mercer and 
Burlington counties, many of whom I represent in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I again want to take this time to congratulate Sister 
Simon on behalf of the thousands of lives she has touched in her long 
tenure in New Jersey. Sister Mary Simon certainly deserves the Judith 
Stanley Coleman Award from the Visiting Nurses Association of Central 
Jersey. I thank her for all her hard work and wish her all the best in 
the future.

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