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WHEREAS, Patricia Connolly has lived in Beltzhoover for over 13 years, having opened her doors to a wide range of people in need, giving what she can, all the while expecting nothing in return; and
WHEREAS, Pat left home at the age of 14 years old, breaking out on her own in search of a better life, eventually landing steady employment; and
WHEREAS, Patricia tracked down her younger brother - who had been in the care of a group home in the period after Pat left home - taking him into her home until he was old enough to set out on his own path; and
WHEREAS, in her younger years, Pat held a wide range of different jobs, working as a model, as well as becoming the first woman to be accepted as a member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades; and
WHEREAS, Pat eventually opened her home to her cognitively impaired nephew, Michael, the son of the brother whom she had raised, removing Michael from an assisted care facility to assume the role as his primary care giver, watching over him and connecting him to social and mental health programs for the past 18 years; and
WHEREAS, Patricia has also regularly opened her home to a handful of people she has met through Michael's program who are homeless, regularly inviting them to come to her home to shower and have a home cooked meal; and
WHEREAS, recently Pat has opened her home to a homeless man in his mid-90s, asking nothing from him in return and ensuring that he has access to basic food and shelter; and
WHEREAS, while Pat is now with Forbes Hospice in Bloomfield, her fearless, positive attitude is perfectly exemplified by her statements about life - that it should be "lived as best you can, regardless of what you have been given"; and
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does wish Patricia Connolly a very happy 73rd birthday, and does hereby recognize and thank her for her lifetime of selfless service to others, giving anything she can to better the lives of those around her; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, May 14th 2013 "Patricia Connolly Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.