LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Shirley Kobran upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of the 2009 Gold Medal Human Service Award from
Saint Cabrini Home on November 12, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to take note of and
publicly acknowledge individuals of remarkable integrity and character
who have inspired and brought pride to our majestic Empire State with
their strong contributions to the community and model citizenship; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Shirley Kobran upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the
2009 Gold Medal Human Service Award from Saint Cabrini Home to be cele-
brated at a Gala Luncheon on Thursday, November 12, 2009, at The Pough-
keepsie Grand Hotel, Poughkeepsie, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Gold Medal Awards Luncheon is held to recognize and honor
eminent men and women for their charitable and humanitarian efforts that
reflect the mission of Saint Cabrini Home, a non-profit human service
agency providing youth care services, and the philosophy of its foun-
dress, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini; and
WHEREAS, Shirley Kobran, her husband Richard and their four children
moved from the Bronx, New York to Kingston in December of 1958, where
Richard opened the Richard I Beauty Salon; and
WHEREAS, In 1960, Shirley Kobran joined the League of Women Voters
where she used this venue to study and then tried to educate members and
the community on environmental issues; as editor of the League's monthly
paper, she very often featured environmental articles on the front page;
and
WHEREAS, In 1970, League members and others decided to do something to
commemorate the first Earth Day, and the Environmental Task Force of
Ulster County was born; this valuable Task Force spearheaded the first
recycling programs in the Kingston area and surrounding towns; and
WHEREAS, Shirley Kobran was the first chairperson of the Ulster County
Environmental Management Council, served as Chairperson of the Nuclear
Power Committee, and also chaired the Environmental Fairs; and
WHEREAS, She was appointed to the Board of the Ulster County Resource
Recovery Agency at its inception, where one of its purposes was to
develop, finance, and implement a comprehensive county-wide solid waste
management program; furthermore, Shirley Kobran is credited as pushing
for the legislation that resulted in the Ulster County recycling as it
is today; and
WHEREAS, Shirley Kobran has served on the Board of Jewish Family
Services and was a past volunteer for Angel Food East, cooking once a
week for eight years for this program that provides hot meals for people
living with HIV and AIDS in Ulster County; she also provided companion-
ship to local people who were sick and in need, and ran the first blood
drive for the Jewish Federation of Ulster County's Mitzvah Day; and
WHEREAS, Due to her committed efforts with the League of Women Voters,
a children's book rescue effort has already distributed over 14,000
books to children in need over a period of seven years; the group also
contributed to the Jewish Federation's "Book Rescue Program" which sends
books to Israel; and
WHEREAS, Shirley Kobran has also been a dedicated volunteer for
Project Hope, offering her services to this program wherever needed; she
often volunteers her time and energies at Ahavath Israel, where she
enjoys cooking for the Family Shabbat dinners as well as for special
occasions; and

WHEREAS, On June 6, 2006, Shirley Kobran received a Lifetime Achieve-
ment Award by the Jewish Federation of Ulster County; that same night,
she was given a framed copy of Congressman Maurice Hinchey's Tribute to
Shirley in the Hall of Congress and she is now in the Congressional
Record; and
WHEREAS, In addition to all her volunteerism, Shirley is very busy
assisting her daughter at Columbia Beauty Supplies, which is also a
Theatrical Store; Shirley Kobran is the proud grandmother of four grand-
children and seven great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Shirley Kobran upon the occasion of her designation as recipient
of the 2009 Gold Medal Human Service Award from Saint Cabrini Home; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Shirley Kobran.