LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Cathleen Holmes upon the occasion of
being selected as Delaware County's 2013 Senior Citizen of the Year

WHEREAS, Senior citizens bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to
the increasingly active roles they play in today's society; their past
contributions and future participation are a vital part of, and valuable
asset to, the fabric of community life and activity; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Cathleen
Holmes upon the occasion of being selected as Delaware County's 2013
Senior Citizen of the Year for her outstanding contributions to her
community through her valuable and much appreciated volunteer work; and
WHEREAS, As Delaware County's 2013 Senior Citizen of the Year, Cath-
leen Holmes will participate in the Annual New York State Senior Citi-
zens Day Luncheon hosted by the State Office for the Aging (SOFA) at the
Hart Theatre Lounge in the Egg, Albany, New York, on Tuesday, May 7,
2013; and
WHEREAS, The theme for this year's event, Unleash the Power of Age,
recognizes the potential energies of older individuals which can be
unleashed through civic engagement to address pressing social and commu-
nity needs; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen was born in 1920 in the Town of Colchester in Dela-
ware County; at the age of eight her mother passed away and at the age
of thirteen her father passed away after which she went to live with her
aunt and uncle; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen attended a one room schoolhouse; she remembers
having to carry water from the nearby brook to the schoolhouse as they
had no running water in the schools back then; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen's aunt and uncle enjoyed square dancing; they would
take her with them and it was at one of the square dances where she met
Clifford Holmes; and
WHEREAS, This was the beginning of a romance which led to marriage in
1938; they had five children and were married for 54 years; her husband
enlisted in the Army after their third child was born and Cathleen had
to raise the three children on her own while her husband was serving his
country in Saipan; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen always had the desire as a child to be a nurse;
however, her first priority was to raise her children; once the children
were grown up and out on their own Cathleen decided to pursue her nurs-
ing career; and
WHEREAS, In 1963 she attended a full year LPN Nursing Program and, in
1964, she graduated as an LPN and was immediately employed as an LPN at
the Delaware County Infirmary, known today as Countryside Care Center;
and
WHEREAS, She started out as a Charge Nurse of 100 residents; she was
the only LPN in the facility at the time; in 1979, after working for the
Delaware County Infirmary for 15 years, she made the difficult decision
to retire; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen, however, has never completely retired; immediately
following her retirement she signed up to work per diem; she would go
with the residents on their medical appointments, take clients to the
emergency room and, on occasion, would even work as a floor nurse if
they were short staffed; and
WHEREAS, Cathleen continued to work per diem a couple of hours every
Saturday and Sunday assisting feeding a few residents who were unable to
feed themselves until the nursing home closed and is considered to be a
true example of "Florence Nightingale"; and

WHEREAS, Cathleen has been an active member of her church for almost
sixty years and has served it in a variety of capacities including Trus-
tee and Elder; she is currently involved with the Delaware County Senior
Council, the Office for the Aging Advisory Board, and the Delaware
Opportunities Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, Among the many other organizations in which Cathleen has been
actively involved, she is an active member of the American Legion Auxil-
iary of Delhi and has been a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for
more than fifty years and, in her enthusiasm to serve, Cathleen started
a Ladies Coffee Club in DeLancey several years ago which to this day
continues to meet every other Thursday late morning for coffee and
lunch; and
WHEREAS, In her spare time Cathleen enjoys refinishing furniture,
caning chairs, bingo, pinochle and tending to her small vegetable
garden; and
WHEREAS, A true asset to society, Cathleen Holmes's distinguished
record merits the recognition and respectful tribute of this Legislative
Body; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Cathleen Holmes on the occasion of being selected as Delaware
County's 2013 Senior Citizen of the Year; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Cathleen Holmes.