[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12447-12448]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          TEN HONORED AT ANNUAL SENIOR HALL OF FAME BREAKFAST

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 13, 2009

  Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, today in Tamarac, Florida, ten outstanding 
Broward elders will be honored at the Annual Senior Hall of Fame 
Breakfast. These ten seniors being honored have volunteered in their 
communities and have spent countless hours helping others. Their 
outstanding character and compassion have truly set them apart and make 
them worthy of this prestigious honor.
  Dorothy Arbogast of Pembroke Pines, who has been battling Lupus for 
many decades, has been volunteering with the Senior Companion Program 
since 2004, serving over 3,300 hours with people with tremendous 
physical, developmental, and emotional needs; as well as frail elders 
in their homes; adult day care centers; and providing relief to 
caregivers caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's. Dorothy also 
volunteers with the Lupus Foundation, the Street People of Oakland 
Park, Cancer Foundation and Leeza's Place, and serves with great 
compassion, dedication, and humility.
  Mayor Samuel S. Brown of Lauderdale Lakes was elected mayor in 1998, 
and under his leadership, the City made numerous positive strides in 
redevelopment and capital improvement, while continuing to provide 
quality services to its residents. A unifying force in the community, 
Mayor Brown is involved in many charitable and philanthropic efforts 
and has been responsible for overseeing several community service 
projects. He also organizes an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for 
seniors and has made it possible for hundreds of needy children to 
receive gifts during the holidays through the Angel Tree Gift Giving 
Program.
  Joan Fink of Hillsboro Beach has devoted time to the Northeast Focal 
Point Senior Center for over 12 years and is currently Treasurer of the 
Children's, Alzheimer's, Seniors and Adult Services (CASA) Board of 
Directors, Auxiliary, and Child Development Center. She is active in 
many fundraising events, including the annual Auxiliary Fashion Show 
and the ``Cuisine of the Region.'' Joan has also volunteered at the 
North Broward Medical Center and has been a member and recording 
secretary of the American Association of University Women--Pompano 
Beach Chapter for the past 13 years, where she has helped raise funds 
to promote educational scholarships for women.
  Hazel Haas of Margate has used her formal theater education and vast 
experience with the performing arts to improve the lives of Broward 
County residents since 1989, adding humor to her volunteering efforts 
with several organizations, including the Northwest Medical Center and 
the Margate Chapter of the Parkinson's Support Group, and she shares 
her warmth, humor and knowledge of the community by presenting sessions 
for Continuing Education Credit at the Aging & Disability Resource 
Center's Annual Broward Aging Network Conference. Hazel's mother, 
Nettie Gross, was honored as a member of the Senior Hall of Fame in 
1993, and for the past five years, Hazel has facilitated the link 
between generations by funding the Nettie Baron Gross Memorial 
Scholarship for Broward College students studying issues impacting 
seniors' lives.
  Judy Henry of Tamarac has been volunteering for many years for a 
number of organizations, serving as President of American Woman's ORT, 
President of the Coral Springs Soccer Association, and as a Board 
Member as one of the Founding Families of Temple Beth Orr of Coral 
Springs. Judy has dedicated her time to the Jewish Federation of 
Greater Fort Lauderdale and the United Way of Broward County, and 
through her role as a Board Member of Cooperative Feeding, she has 
assisted in providing food, counseling and other basic needs for the 
homeless. She has also initiated mail boxes for the homeless, and as 
President of Volunteer Broward, has been working on an agricultural 
project, teaching neighborhoods how to garden and grow food for 
themselves.
  Mayor Judy Paul of Davie has worked tirelessly for Broward County, as 
she is active on the boards of the 4-H Foundation, Broward County Farm 
Bureau, Junior Achievement, Davie Area Land Trust, Broward Extension 
Foundation, Davie Boys and Girls Club, and South Florida Trail Riders. 
Mayor Paul served on the Davie Town Council from 1998 to 2007, as well 
as the Davie Charter Review Board from 1996 to 2007, and is President 
of the Friends of Davie Farm Park, Inc., and an honorary member of the 
Board of Directors for Old Davie School. A retired teacher, Mayor Paul 
is outspoken about caring for the environment, promoting enhancing 
green space and working on projects to provide the general public 
opportunities to learn more about agriculture.
  Mayor Sylvia Poitier is a lifelong resident of Deerfield Beach and 
served on the City Commission from 1973 to 1985 and from 2005 until 
today, serving as Mayor in 1976 to 77 and acting Mayor since December 
2008, as well as the County Commission from 1986 to 1998, and has 
committed herself to providing affordable housing to residents and 
senior program funding during her time in office. Mayor Poitier has 
also volunteered for many social service boards and committees, has 
served as an advocate for senior, Alzheimer's, and children services, 
as well as intergenerational programs. She is currently Chair for the 
Community Action Agency, a Member of the Salvation Army Board, and was 
the First African American President of the Broward County Council of 
Parent-Teacher associations.
  Marcia Slow Sandler of Pembroke Pines has been working tirelessly for 
over 15 years in many capacities, including President and Member of the 
Children's Cancer Caring Broward Chapter and Founder of the Angels in 
the Outfield Chapter of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. She has also 
been a contributor to social service fundraising activities and served 
four years on the Aging & Disability Resource Center's Advisory 
Council, where she secured Fair Share Appropriations from local 
municipalities.
  Senator Nan H. Rich is a lifelong resident of Weston and serves 
District 34 in the Florida Senate. Prior to entering politics, Nan 
devoted many years to volunteering with children and the handicapped, 
and in Tallahassee, her commitment to elders has been evidenced 
repeatedly through her voice and her actions, continuing to seek and 
secure critical funding for necessary services. Senator Rich is active 
on various boards in the religious sector and is highly respected as 
the true voice of reason in an atmosphere that too often disregards the 
oppressed and the victimized.
  Greta Silver of Coconut Creek has an enthusiasm and energy that make 
her an invaluable volunteer at the Alzheimer's Family Center, where she 
helps clients to cope with their fears and frustrations. As a talented 
journalist, Greta also writes a quarterly newsletter called ``The 
Volunteer Vine,'' and in December 2008 she coordinated a Holiday 
Volunteer Day for the Center, planning lunch, entertainment, favors, 
centerpieces, and guest speakers. Greta is also a trained volunteer for 
the Project Lifesaver Safety Program and is extremely active within her 
homeowner's association.

[[Page 12448]]

  Madam Speaker, I would like to again congratulate these ten 
outstanding Broward County citizens who are being honored at the Annual 
Senior Hall of Fame, and thank them for their years of service to their 
fellow Floridians.

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