HR0665 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0665 LRB100 15386 ALS 30370 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Dee Braden on the occasion of her retirement as Executive Director of the Coles County Council on Aging; and

WHEREAS, Dee Braden began her career at the Coles County Council on Aging as the RSVP Volunteer Recruiter in 1976; she was promoted to Executive Director in 1978; and

WHEREAS, Dee Braden has a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, with concentrations in Gerontology and Criminal Justice, from Eastern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, During her time at the Coles County Council on Aging, Dee Braden conducted workshops, both locally and at the state level, on various topics relative to fund raising, transportation, senior center development, communicating with older adults, and property tax referenda passage; she orchestrated the passage of the first countywide property tax referendum in Illinois to fund services for older adults, and developed the LifeSpan Center, a multi-purpose intergenerational facility; and

WHEREAS, Dee Braden has received many awards for her work in Coles County, including the Coles County Zonta Woman of the Year Award for Outstanding Community Service, the Governor's Award for Unique Achievement, the Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging Sid Granet "Be All You Can Be" Award, the Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Alpha Upsilon Chapter Diana Award for service from the Mattoon Chapter, as well as the state-wide Award, and the Agency on Aging's Leadership Award; and

WHEREAS, During her tenure as Executive Director, Dee Braden served on several boards, including the Coles County United Way, the Coles County Board Senior Citizens Property Tax Levy, the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center Professional Advisory Council, the Carle Health Care Foundation Patient Advisory Committee, the Association of Illinois Senior Centers, the National Council on Aging, the Eastern Illinois University, Lumpkin School of Business, Masters in Gerontology Advisory Council, the Planned Giving Information Consortium, the Coles Community Health Program Advisory Board, the Illinois Paratransit Association, the Illinois Department on Aging: Illinois Senior Center Conference Planning Committee, and the Academy of Lifetime Learning Advisory Council, Eastern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, Dee Braden's professional career has been devoted to working to enhance the quality of life by promoting independence, dignity, self-fulfillment, and health for older adults in Coles County through advocacy, education, and provision of appropriate community-based services; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dee Braden on her retirement as Executive Director of the Coles County Council on Aging, and we recognize her extraordinary leadership, vision, and service to the Illinois Aging Network; we wish her the best in all of her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dee Braden as a symbol of our esteem and respect.