[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9479]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF INTELLECTUAL & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I am pleased today to join the Illinois 
chapter of the American Association of Intellectual & Developmental 
Disabilities in recognizing recipients of the 2008 Direct Service 
Professional Award. The recipients are being honored for their 
outstanding efforts to enrich the lives of people with developmental 
disabilities in Illinois.
  These awardees have displayed humanity and professionalism in their 
work. They are an inspiration to the people they work with every day, 
and they are an inspiration to me as well. They have set a fine example 
of community service for all Americans to follow.
  These honorees spend more than half of their time at work in direct, 
personal involvement with their clients. They are not primarily 
managers or supervisors. They are direct service workers providing care 
for people with special needs. They do their work every day with little 
public recognition, providing assistance that is unknown and unnoticed 
except to the people they spend their days with.
  It is my honor and privilege to recognize the Illinois recipients of 
AAIDD's 2008 Direct Service Professional Award: Robin Armond, Terry 
Ber, Vanessa Bradley, Debora Buchanan, Betty Carr, Eleanor Dewhart, 
Dawn Elliot, Barrett Girad, Jeri Von Holten, Cindy Jennings, Leonard 
Maniece, Adam Mize, Pat Murphy, Janet Newlin, Melissa Parnell, Hilary 
Pacha, Rhonda Risley, Sharon Watson, Denise Williams, Kimberly Woosley, 
and Delia Zavala.
  I know my fellow Senators will join me in congratulating the winners 
of the 2008 Direct Service Professional Award. I commend their 
dedication and join the AAIDD in thanking them for their service.

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