LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring The Reverend Garth E. Brokaw upon the
occasion of his retirement from the Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Minis-
tries, Inc.

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge the
significant milestones in the distinguished careers of esteemed resi-
dents of this noble Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor The
Reverend Garth E. Brokaw upon the occasion of his retirement from the
Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Garth E. Brokaw has been a social innovator at the
Fairport Baptist Homes for over 30 years, beginning his illustrious
career as Nursing Home Chaplain following his ordination from Colgate
Rochester Divinity School, and extended into his former service as
President/CEO of Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Retiring in November of 2011, Reverend Garth Brokaw spear-
headed a culture change in the care of the elderly that began in Roches-
ter, New York, and spread throughout the United States and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Garth Brokaw grew up in the small city of Adrian,
Michigan; every winter since the time he was born, his grandparents had
moved into his home and he fondly remembers taking walks with his grand-
mother and listening to her play the violin; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Garth Brokaw's family attended the local Baptist
church and as a teenager, he would often visit elderly parishioners at
an assisted living home on Sunday afternoons; those particular experi-
ences gave him a lasting desire to help elders; and
WHEREAS, After a six-year career in social work in Chicago and a brief
term as a pastor in his hometown, Reverend Garth Brokaw and his wife,
Karen, were married just two weeks before moving to Rochester; there, he
attended Colgate Rochester Divinity School to complete his seminary
work; and
WHEREAS, When Reverend Garth Brokaw was offered a job as the chaplain
at Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries, he accepted it; two years
later, his role became more administrative, and Reverend Brokaw, who had
the proper federal licensing in keeping with the Social Security Act of
1965, became an assistant administrator for services, followed by a
promotion to assistant administrator for residents, a job that led him
to the active work he had with residents; and
WHEREAS, In the late 1980s, Reverend Al Foster retired from his posi-
tion as President and CEO and Reverend Garth Brokaw applied for the job;
since he started at Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries, many
changes have been made to elder care; and
WHEREAS, With the advances in medical technology, Reverend Garth
Brokaw expects the trend of elder care to become less institutional; and
WHEREAS, Long-term care saw a big change nationally, when a group of
organizations created the Pioneer Network to lobby for more home-like
eldercare facilities; Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries followed
this model, and renovated its own site; and
WHEREAS, When the project was complete, there were the same 196 beds,
split into 20 different households; instead of large groups of 40 resi-
dents, small groups of 10-12 people with a common living room and dining
room area were created enhancing the communal atmosphere; and
WHEREAS, Today, Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries continues to
be an anchor for a number of outreaches to help the elderly through its
partnership with Fairport-Perinton Senior Living Council, a group that
supports elders who live on their own; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Reverend Garth Brokaw says the most
difficult part of retiring from Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries
is leaving the staff and residents behind; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate blend-
ing of strength, leadership, intellect, and commitment as that demon-
strated by Reverend Garth Brokaw over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedi-
cation to others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor The Reverend Garth E. Brokaw upon the occasion of his retirement
from the Fairport Baptist Homes Caring Ministries, Inc.; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Reverend Garth E. Brokaw.