Patrick Meehan

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Jacqueline R. Erwin, a Classification Specialist for the United States Postal Service, an ordained minister, and a life coach from Delaware County, Pennsylvania. On April 13th, she will be presented with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Heritage Award for outstanding work in her community and career by the Philadelphia/South Jersey Chapter of the African American Postal League United for Success (A-PLUS).

Jackie began her career as a postal worker in 1986 and worked her way up to her current appointment as a Classification Specialist. Her dedication to her job has gone beyond her individual duties. She is the National Vice-Chairperson of NETWORK, a nonprofit organization within the Postal Service dedicated to African-American women who serve at the USPS. In addition to her leadership in her professional life, she is an author, minister, mother, grandmother, and wife.

I join A-PLUS in commending Jackie for her extraordinary work advocating for African-American female postal workers, her commitment to her family, and for making her community a better place. I wish her success as she continues to enthusiastically serve and advocate for those around her.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Dr. Joy Gates Black, President of Delaware County Community College (DCCC)--the first female, as well as the first African-American, President to lead the institution in its 50 year history.

Dr. Gates Black has worked tirelessly to promote students' success, ensuring they have a clear path to graduation and are equipped with the skills a modern workforce demands. Her efforts have made her an exceptionally well respected higher education administrator.

In addition to her experience leading colleges across the country, Dr. Gates Black served our nation honorably in the U.S. Air Force where she developed leadership abilities that now help her lead institutions like DCCC.

Dr. Gates Black is being presented with the Woman of Achievement Award from the Delaware County Women's Commission, an honor she much deserves. I join in recognizing her as a distinguished leader in higher education in Pennsylvania and across the country. I wish Dr. Joy Gates Black many years of continued success at the helm of DCCC.

Mr. Speaker, today I posthumously recognize Linda Houldin of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Linda was a longtime resident of Delaware County and a pillar of her community.

She served as the Executive Director of the Delaware County Historical Society and co-founded the Delaware County Veterans Memorial. Linda's countless hours spent helping others left a profound and undeniable impact on everyone around her and the community she loved. She was a strong, passionate, and dedicated woman who touched many lives--particularly veterans, children, and society's most vulnerable.

Linda is to be inducted into the Delaware County Women's Commission Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. She showed us how an individual with energy and commitment to community can enrich the lives of friends and strangers alike.

Her absence will be felt by those who knew her and the many she helped through her generosity and service.