LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Walter Hernandez 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, Walter Hernandez 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 Walter Hernan-
dez upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Men at Work
Award from the SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT; and
WHEREAS, Born in El Salvador in 1966, Walter Hernandez left the war-
torn country as a teen in 1983 for California; and
WHEREAS, There, he met his future wife, Flor Amanda, originally from
Honduras; her uncle, who lived in Sullivan County, convinced them to
move there in 1986, where they found work and started a family; and
WHEREAS, After being laid off in the mid 1990s from a job with VAW in
Ellenville, Walter Hernandez turned to Sullivan County's Center for
Workforce Development in Monticello, which guided him into getting his
GED from BOCES in 1997; and
WHEREAS, Armed with that critical piece of paper, Walter Hernandez
became a professional tax preparer, eventually creating his own busi-
ness, Walter's Income Tax, out of his Harris home; and
WHEREAS, Walter Hernandez also volunteered his expertise through a
local program that offers tax counselling to the elderly; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, he serves as an inspector for the Monticello
Housing Authority, ensuring existing housing is up to par for residents;
and
WHEREAS, That is not what dominates the bulk of his time during the
week; impressively, Walter Hernandez is employed full-time as a direct
support professional, with the title of Advocate III for Crystal Run
Village's group home in Monticello, New York; and
WHEREAS, For more than 12 years, Walter Hernandez has been the compas-
sionate face of Crystal Run Village for many of its consumers, people
who deal with developmental disabilities in their lives on a daily
basis; and
WHEREAS, His job is to serve as the lead health advocate for the 12
inhabitants of the home; he monitors and tracks residents' health
issues, ensuring they get proper treatment when needed; while he doesn't
replace professional medical care, he is often in a position to be the
first to inform doctors and nurses about any current or potential health
issues; and
WHEREAS, Those dozen residents are what inspire Walter Hernandez to
fight his way through reams of paperwork and phone calls to ensure
health and happiness within the home's walls; and
WHEREAS, Walter Hernandez 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, Walter Hernandez 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 Walter Hernandez has displayed
throughout his life; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Walter Hernandez 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 Walter Hernandez.