LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Kevin Dowdell upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the Men at Work Award from the SULLIVAN
COUNTY DEMOCRAT

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, Kevin Dowdell has given not only of his time and energies but
also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently has
been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Kevin Dowdell
upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Men at Work
Award from the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT; and
WHEREAS, Kevin Dowdell has come to Sullivan County from the west
coast, but make no mistake, it's the local community that has held his
interest from day one; and
WHEREAS, The head of sales and marketing at the Villa Roma for the
past year and a half, Kevin Dowdell walked into the job just as the
hotel was reopening on the heels of a $30 million renovation; and
WHEREAS, He came from California and Oregon, major metropolitan areas
where he worked for major hotel chains - Hilton and Starwood among them;
and
WHEREAS, But with a job writing for soap operas, Kevin Dowdell was
looking for an East Coast job; he didn't want life in the big city
anymore; he wanted a small town, and that's what he found at the Villa
Roma; and
WHEREAS, A key employer for the county, Kevin Dowdell has discovered
working at the Villa Roma is like a rite of passage for western Sullivan
County's kids, and that has only enhanced the family feel he has found
in Callicoon; and
WHEREAS, The challenge after three years of the main hotel being
closed, is to remind people the resort is open and also to reposition
the resort as the go-to spot for the proms, the weddings and more - both
on a national scale and a local one; and
WHEREAS, After the fire, the Villa Roma had to remarket; basically, it
is 40 years old, but a brand new entity; and
WHEREAS, In that vein, the Villa Roma has focused on regularly expand-
ing its offerings for both guests and drop-by local visitors, bringing a
number of pageants to the Villa in recent years, adding ice skating,
even debating a miniature golf range; and
WHEREAS, A victim of a tragedy that cost him his wife shortly before
moving to the Villa and settling in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, Kevin
Dowdell has intertwined the support of local charities with the market-
ing of the resort; and
WHEREAS, From blood drives to visits from soap stars to benefit Love
Our Children Day, Kevin Dowdell has been able to showcase what the Villa
has to offer while drawing people in to make a difference; like his own
brush with tragedy, the Villa's fire has given them a renewed strength;
and
WHEREAS, Kevin Dowdell has been called upon to contribute his time and
talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given
of himself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of his community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Kevin Dowdell has stood constant in
dignity, good grace and humor; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Kevin Dowdell has displayed through-
out his life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Kevin Dowdell upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Men at Work Award from the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Kevin Dowdell.