[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8920-8921]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING KATY RHOADES, ELIZABETH GHELETA AND PATRICIA BROWN ON 
           BEING AWARDED A JEFFERSON AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2007

  Mr. LANTOS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to three 
remarkable women in my Congressional District in California. These 
women are distinguished recipients of the prestigious Jefferson Award 
for Public Service in 2006. I would like to express my own personal 
gratitude to these women and share their stories with my colleagues.
  Katy Rhoades is an extraordinary volunteer who has devoted herself to 
improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. She became 
an advocate for the disabled when her son, Kit, was first diagnosed 
with spina bifida. Katy left a career in the insurance industry to care 
full-time for her son. While she worked tirelessly with Kit, she also 
managed to find the time and energy to work with others with 
disabilities in San Mateo County. I am happy to announce that her son, 
now 21, has become a successful, independent young man and is currently 
enrolled at Canada College in Redwood City. Katy has continually given 
of herself, tirelessly advocating for people with disabilities.

[[Page 8921]]

  Her work on behalf of disabled people includes serving on the San 
Mateo County Commission on Disabilities, the Health Plan of San Mateo, 
the Meals on Wheels Coalition, New Beginning Coalition and the Second 
Harvest Food Bank. Katy has also worked with the California Children 
Services and the Far-West Wheelchair Sports Association. Katy developed 
the ``Transition to Independence Fair'' to help children with 
disabilities as they grow into adulthood. This unique fair now takes 
place every other year and is growing in importance. Katy Rhoades is an 
incredible ally and friend to people with disabilities. She has made 
her community in the Bay Area a better place for everyone.
  Madam Speaker, Elizabeth Gheleta is another recent winner of the 
Jefferson Award. She has helped rebuild the lives of thousands of San 
Mateo County jail inmates and former inmates, and has also provided 
support and assistance to their children and families.
  A long, distinguished career with the San Mateo County Service League 
has made Elizabeth Gheleta an invaluable and integral part of the 
agency's history. When Proposition 13 closed down the Service League in 
1978, Elizabeth took on a leadership role that salvaged it. She built 
the Service League into a well-established, non-profit community 
organization with 25 staff members and over 500 dedicated volunteers.
  This tireless and visionary woman expanded local in-jail resources to 
include educational programs, religious services, substance abuse 
counseling, and life skills to aid in the transition back into society. 
Elizabeth's success with the Service League has resulted in similar 
programs that have given hundreds of former inmates and their families 
a second chance in life.
  Elizabeth Gheleta has spent 38 years with the Service League, and her 
recent retirement will leave a large void in the agency, but we can all 
take comfort in the knowledge that she leaves behind a strong and 
essential pillar of our community. She refused to give up on prison 
inmates and has given countless men and women the skills and support 
they need in order to return to productive lives in our society.
  Madam Speaker, the third, and certainly not last, extraordinary woman 
I want to tell you about is Patricia Brown, who has retired from the 
Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center after 20 years of service. She has 
been the Executive Director of PCRC since 1992, guiding the non-profit 
organization in its mission to provide conflict management and 
resolution services in San Mateo County. This remarkable organization 
has grown under Patricia's leadership and today trains people to 
communicate and solve problems together, through constructive means. 
Through her vision and commitment, conflict resolution today not only 
involves adults, but children in school as well.
  Patricia is also an active community volunteer, involving herself in 
the creation and development of a number of partnerships, including 
development of the Multi-Option Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. 
She has served on the California Judicial Council's Collaborative 
Justice Courts Advisory Committee and was involved in an innovative 
alliance of San Mateo County non-profits known as Thrive. A founding 
member of the California Dispute Resolution Council and its non-profit 
partner, the California Dispute Resolution Institute, Patricia can 
point to countless success stories relating to successful conflict 
resolution.
  Madam Speaker, let me recognize with great pride Katy Rhoades, 
Elizabeth Gheleta and Patricia Brown, three women who have devoted 
their lives to making our community a stronger, safer and more vibrant 
place to live. These women are gems in San Mateo County and an 
inspiration to all of us. I am honored to be able to highlight their 
accomplishments.

                          ____________________