LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Karen and Chester Opalka upon the
occasion of their designation for special recognition by the College of
Saint Rose on June 23, 2011

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, Karen and Chester Opalka have given not only of their time
and energies but also of their competence, intelligence and leadership
and consequently have been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Karen and
Chester Opalka upon the occasion of their designation for special recog-
nition by the College of Saint Rose, to be celebrated at its A Community
of Excellence Scholarship Luncheon on Thursday, June 23, 2011, at
Wolfert's Roost Country Club in Albany, New York; and
WHEREAS, Karen and Chester Opalka have been called upon to contribute
their time and talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and
have always given of themselves unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, Karen Opalka was an elementary educator for more than 30
years; she has been involved with curriculum development and its imple-
mentation in all areas of academics and the arts; and
WHEREAS, Since her retirement from teaching, Karen Opalka has devoted
herself to philanthropic ventures primarily involving children, educa-
tion, and the arts; she serves on the Boards of the Arts Center of the
Capital Region, Capital Repertory Theatre, and the Averill Park Educa-
tion Foundation; and
WHEREAS, In 1991, Chester Opalka co-founded Albany Molecular Research,
Inc.; prior to this, he worked as a pharmaceutical research chemist and
is named in nearly 30 patents; and
WHEREAS, Since his retirement in 2002, Chester Opalka has become very
active in the local business and philanthropic community, serving on the
Boards of the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce, The Sage
Colleges, and Northeast Health; he is an advisor to Capital Repertory
Theatre and the Albany Symphony Orchestra, a director of Eastern New
York Angels, and has invested in many local start-up companies; and
WHEREAS, Karen and Chester Opalka are founding members of The Global
Child, a nonprofit school in Cambodia that gives impoverished street
children the opportunity to pursue an education and gain life skills;
and
WHEREAS, Following their passions in music and the arts, Karen and
Chester Opalka have established a music scholarship at Saint Rose, named
The Sage Colleges' Opalka Gallery, and they are significant supporters
of the Averill Park Education Foundation, Albany Symphony Orchestra,
WMHT, and Proctors Theatre; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of their community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Karen and Chester Opalka have stood
constant in dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by individuals
for the benefit of others which Karen and Chester Opalka have displayed
throughout their lives; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Karen and Chester Opalka upon the occasion of their designation

for special recognition by the College of Saint Rose on June 23, 2011;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Karen and Chester Opalka.