Honoring Dr. Ala Stanford (Cong. Rec., June 15, 2021)

Summary

A page of the Congressional Record, Extensions of Remarks, dated June 15, 2021, at page E645, made up of tributes inserted by Representatives. One honors Dr. Ala Stanford and her team for running COVID–19 testing and vaccination clinics aimed at Black communities, saying Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus and are still underrepresented among those vaccinated. Another recognizes Pastor William Gillison of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Lackawanna, New York, whose church served as a testing and vaccination site during the pandemic. Mr. Katko recognizes Jay Simson on his retirement after 29 years as President of The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York, and a further tribute thanks Chairman Shawver for his service on the OC San Board of Directors.

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“Honoring Dr. Ala Stanford (Cong. Rec., June 15, 2021).” Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2021-06-15-crec-2021-06-15-pt1-pge645-fac7928794/, SHA-256 d7a4aa6ce54c1c6a37120952e2262c3626a57a3de1907a62a95ca032f4f25d2f.

Full text

June 15, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E645
(OC San) Board of Directors, and his dedica- they also run vaccination clinics in these same Born in Beaufort, South Carolina, Pastor Wil-
tion and service to the residents of Orange areas. Dr. Stanford and her team are inten- liam Gillison attended Lackawanna, New York
County in this capacity. tional about targeting their resources to the schools and enrolled in the United States
Throughout his tenure on the OC San board Black community because Black Americans Army in 1965. Sixteen years later—in 1981—
from December 2018 through June 2021, have been disproportionately impacted by the Reverend Gillison became the pastor of Mount
Chairman Shawver has remained steadfast in coronavirus and are still underrepresented in Olive Baptist Church. During his time at Mt.
his commitment to providing an affordable the number of people who have received the Olive, the church’s capacity increased tenfold,
service to the community, while understanding COVID–19 vaccine. from 150 to 1,500.
the importance of keeping with OC San’s mis- After more than a year of having our lives
sion of protecting the public health and the en- consumed by COVID–19, I could think of no Early in his career, Reverend Gillison found-
vironment. better person to represent our region at Presi- ed the Mt. Olive Development Corporation,
Under his leadership, Chairman Shawver dent Biden’s Joint Address to Congress than which continues to provide subsidized apart-
and the Board of Directors understood the fi- Dr. Stanford. When the pandemic hit, she fig- ments for low income residents. Mt. Olive also
nancial hardship COVID–19 created for many ured out what needed to be done, and then operates as a distribution center for food and
of our ratepayers. As a result, the Board of Di- she did it. She has dedicated herself to the other essentials in Western New York. During
rectors forwent the board approved regional work of serving her community and reducing the Covid–19 pandemic, it served as a testing
sewer service fee increase for the 2020–21 racial disparities in access to testing and vac- and vaccination site. Interviewed by WGRZ,
fiscal year, keeping it at $339 for the year, cines. Pastor Gillison said that ‘‘The pandemic has
which is less than $1 a day. In a typical year, I would have invited Dr. really magnified and exposed in many cases
Chairman Shawver’s commitment to afford- Stanford to join me in the House Chamber for the deficiencies in especially black and brown
able water and water use has allowed OC San the Joint Address. COVID–19 safety protocols communities.’’ Mt. Olive helped to lessen the
to move in the direction to recycle 100 percent limited this year’s in-person attendance, and racial disparities in vaccine distribution, fur-
of its reclaimable flow through the Ground- I—along with many other Members of Con- thering its mission and serving thousands of
water Replenishment System (GWRS), a joint gress—instead watched the address from local community members.
project between OC San and the Orange home.
However, I couldn’t miss this important op- Mt. Olive serves in every season. During the
County Water District. summer, the Church hosts a cookout and fire-
Upon completion of this project in 2023, portunity to honor Dr. Stanford and people like
her all across Pennsylvania. works show for families. In the fall, it provides
GWRS will produce 130 million gallons of
f Thanksgiving dinners to 1,500 families. In the
high-quality water every day, which will be
enough water for 1 million residents in north winter, through its Angel Tree Ministry pro-
CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT
and central Orange County. gram, it gives Christmas gifts to children of in-
OF JAY SIMSON
As a former educator myself, I would also carcerated men and women. Before he be-
like to recognize Chairman Shawver for his HON. JOHN KATKO came president, George W. Bush visited Mt.
more than 40 years of service as an educator OF NEW YORK
Olive and was impressed with its work.
in the Long Beach Unified School District, at IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Pastor Gillison’s experience with the govern-
Long Beach City College, and at Hope Inter- Tuesday, June 15, 2021 ment has not always been cordial. Working
national University in Fullerton. Mr. KATKO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to closely with attorney Johnnie Cochrane, Pas-
On behalf of the residents of the 47th Dis- tor Gillison fought to overturn a ban on bus
trict, I want to thank Chairman Shawver for his recognize Jay Simson, the President of The
American Council of Engineering Companies routes to the Galleria Mall. This discriminatory
years of service and dedication to OC San practice prevented many people of color from
and to the community he has committed him- of New York, on his retirement after 29 years
of dedicated service. shopping at the Mall, and even led to the kill-
self to serving. ACEC New York represents the business in- ing of a worker who was forced to walk to her
f job at the Galleria Mall.
terests of nearly 300 engineering and related
HONORING DR. ALA STANFORD AS firms in New York State. These are the com- Pastor Gillison has served two terms as the
A VIRTUAL GUEST FOR PRESI- panies that design our built environment. With- President of the Baptist Ministers Conference
DENT BIDEN’S ADDRESS TO out them, our transportation infrastructure, our and the Baptist Great Lakes Conference. He
JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS public buildings, private office towers, hos- is the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees
pitals, and so much more would simply not and has been recognized by national organi-
HON. MARY GAY SCANLON exist.
Jay Simson was a leader in his industry and
zations for his ministry and service. He is par-
OF PENNSYLVANIA ticularly known for his interfaith communica-
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES a driving force for the interests of his member
firms in Albany and before Congress. I know tion; Pastor Gillison has traveled to Israel mul-
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 many of my colleagues from the New York tiple times and formed relationships with both
Ms. SCANLON. Madam Speaker, I rise delegation know Jay and have worked with government and religious officials. None of
today to honor Dr. Ala Stanford from Philadel- him on a wide range of issues over the years. this would have been accomplished without
phia, Pennsylvania. What many of my colleagues might not the help of his loving and devoted wife of 58
On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, President know about Jay is that he is also an Olympic years, Antonia Gillison. She has been his
Biden delivered his first address to a Joint judge. He served on the U.S. Freestyle Ski greatest supporter. While being a pastor he
Session of Congress, 100 days into his first Team board and was their delegate to the has also maintained his strong fatherly pres-
term. International Ski Federation. He was also the ence with his children.
When President Biden took the oath of of- Head Judge for Freestyle Skiing at the 1998 Pastor Gillison has advanced our commu-
fice, he pledged that help was on the way. Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. nity spiritually, politically, and economically. He
Thanks to our work together to enact the I thank Jay Simson for his commitment to has been a tireless advocate for those with no
American Rescue Plan, help is here. the engineering industry and congratulate him
Hardworking people in Pennsylvania and all hope and no voice. His leadership has trans-
on his retirement. formed Mt. Olive into an indispensable beacon
across the country have been the heroes of f
the pandemic, and now they are leading our of light for our community and his work has
recovery. Dr. Stanford is one of those heroes. HONORING WILIAM GILLISON touched lives across the country and world.
The Black Doctors COVID–19 Consortium During his fortieth anniversary as pastor, we
was founded by Dr. Stanford in 2020 to edu- HON. BRIAN HIGGINS celebrate how much Mt. Olive has accom-
OF NEW YORK plished, and we pray for the community it
cate and advocate for the Black community in
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES serves. Though he has accomplished much,
order to reduce the incidence of disease and
death from coronavirus. Tuesday, June 15, 2021 Pastor Gillison is just grateful for the oppor-
The group originally focused on bringing Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speak- tunity to serve. As he would say, ‘‘To God be

dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with REMARKS
testing to underserved communities, and now er, I rise today to honor Dr. William Gillison. the Glory.’’

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