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Also naming the 1700 block of South 22nd Street “Emma Hatton Wilson Way,” to honor Emma Hatton Wilson for a lifetime of service to the South Philadelphia community.
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WHEREAS, Emma Hatton Wilson was born March 12, 1948. Ms. Wilson grew up in Philadelphia, graduating from the Edward W. Bok Technical High School with a diploma in retail sewing; and
WHEREAS, After graduating high school, Ms. Wilson became a worker with the AmeriCorps VISTA, a national service program designed to help create programs to alleviate poverty. During this time, she also began her lifelong path as a community activist, becoming the “voice and outcry” for a cleaner and safer environment at the McDaniel School; and
WHEREAS, During her work as a VISTA worker, Ms. Wilson met Peter Moore, who was the director for Dixon House, a community center operated by Diversified Community Services (DCS). In recognition of her accomplishments with VISTA, Mr. Moore asked her to come to Dixon House to help with youth programs; and
WHEREAS, In 1985, Ms. Wilson was placed in charge of many of the important in-house programs at Dixon House. She oversaw such programs as the after-school day care program, a day treatment program, the Peacemakers program, and the Teens Who Care and Share youth program. Eventually, Ms. Wilson was also enlisted to operate the summer camp at Stephen Girard Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, In her position at the Dixon House, Ms. Wilson also worked to keep the residents of the community fed by overseeing a number of feeding programs. This included the senior citizens’ lunch program, the kid’s café, which was a family dinner program operated at the Dixon House one evening each week, and a soup kitchen, where youth were served a complete meal twice a week; and
WHEREAS, Years later, Ms. Wilson was promoted to the position of center director and asked to also oversee the operations of DCS’s Camp Unami. The camp was the agency’s overnight summer camp located on 21 beautiful acres of land in Lansdale, PA; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Wilson’s dedication to helping others extended past her career and into her everyday life. She was a very active member of the Point Breeze community, where she was a diligent, outgoing, and an outspoken resident. This lifetime of service is a credit to her community and deserving of recognition; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Also names the 1700 block of South 22nd Street “Emma Hatton Wilson Way,” to honor Emma Hatton Wilson for a lifetime of service to the South Philadelphia community.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Emma Hatton Wilson as evidence of the admiration and respect of this body.
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