[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7285]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING DR. JEAN MALECKI ON HER SERVICE TO PALM BEACH COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KLEIN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 12, 2009

  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a leader 
in our community. On August 1 Florida will lose a wonderful public 
servant, as Dr. Jean Malecki is leaving the Palm Beach County 
Department of Health. Dr. Malecki has been with the Department of 
Health since 1989, serving as its Director for the last 17 years.
  Born and raised in South Florida, Dr. Malecki has dedicated herself 
to making Palm Beach County the healthiest community in the nation. She 
created the Healthy Start program in which nurses make in-home visits 
throughout a woman's pregnancy to provide counseling to expectant 
mothers. She expanded the number of primary clinics, where they now 
treat 67,000 patients annually.
  Her leadership was most visible shortly after the attacks of 
September 11, 2001, when she led the Palm Beach County Department of 
Health through the first biological terror attack in the country. Under 
her direction the County diagnosed the first anthrax cases and quickly 
mobilized a team to help investigate the attacks.
  I have personally watched and learned from Dr. Jean Malecki's 
extraordinary service to the people of Palm Beach County. We will miss 
her, but wish her the best in her new life and career.
  Thank you for allowing me the time to speak about this admirable 
leader in my community, Madam Speaker.

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