Title
Honoring Gerry Sizemore.
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WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Ms. Gerry Sizemore, First Vice Chair and Committeewoman of the 50th Ward; and
WHEREAS, Gerry Sizemore is a product of the Philadelphia public school system where she graduated from Overbrook High School and subsequently attended Delaware State College before graduating from Temple University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Sizemore was employed at Temple University as an Administrative Assistant in the Department of Mathematics, an Executive Assistant to the Provost, and an Assistant Director of the Writing Center before retiring; and
WHEREAS, As a Committeewoman for the 50th Ward Democratic Executive Committee since the early 1980’s, she has served, for many years, as Treasurer and is currently serving as the First Vice Chair, and through these positions, she organized, authored, and produced a 50th Ward Committeeperson’s Handbook, a monthly Newsletter for the 6th Division of the Ward, and the 50th Ward’s First Annual Awards Recognition Dinner; and
WHEREAS, As Secretary to the Advisory Council of the Charles M. Finley Recreation Center, Gerry Sizemore instituted several annual programs including The Black History and Women’s Month Programs, Thanksgiving basket collection and distribution, and Halloween and Christmas Parties; and
WHEREAS, Committed to the ideals of community involvement, political empowerment, and progressive social change, Ms. Sizemore is a dynamic director and past member of several boards of community service organizations including but not limited to serving as Chair of the Selection Committee of the Youth Entrepreneur Program sponsored by former State Representative Gordon Linton, 35th Police District Advisory Board, Pacesetters Community Organization, RUSH Block Association, and the Mount Tabor Baptist Church’s Youth Ministry, Capital Improvement Fund, and Soup Kitchen; and
WHEREAS, Gerry Sizemore has been recognized for outstanding, dedicated, and committed community service by LaSalle University, National Council of Negro Women, State Senator LeAnna M. Washington, Congressman Chaka Fattah, 50th Ward Democratic Executive Committee, Mount Tabor Baptist Church Soup Kitchen, and the Philadelphia City-Wide Recreation Advisory Council; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Sizemore continues to serve her church and community at large through positions on the Parent Council of the Ivy Leaf School, Treasurer of the Home and School Association of the A.B. Day Elementary School, and member of the Home and School Association of the Joseph Hill-Samson Freedman Middle School; and
WHEREAS, Gerry Sizemore is a special individual with extraordinary abilities who is unselfish with her time and talents and is a professional in every sense of the word. She is a fair, reasonable, honest, and outspoken person who is also a strong mother figure and doting and loving grandmother. Above all, Ms. Sizemore is a dedicated and hard worker, a respected friend and confidante, and someone you can depend on; and
WHEREAS, Gerry Sizemore is the daughter of Ruth and the late Charles Sizemore, the sister of Gwendolyn Sizemore, the mother of Chris E. Ballard, and “Grandma Gerry” to Brandon C. Ballard, Julianny Valera-Ballard, and O’Neil Bowen, her foster grandson, and the mother-in-law to Yulisa Valera-Ballard; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize and congratulate Gerry Sizemore for her continuing dedication to community involvement, political empowerment, and progressive social change in the 50th Democratic Ward and throughout the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Gerry Sizemore as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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