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WHEREAS, Michelle Underwood (Mickey) began working for the City of Pittsburgh on January 13, 1975, and was assigned to Brookline Memorial Rec Center under the direction of Chuck Senft; and,
WHEREAS, health wellness and fitness was a major focus for Mickey which is why on her first day, Mickey enforced a no smoking policy. She then began working on programs for all ages from kinder sports to ballroom dancing, including boxing where she sparred with the youth, timed rounds, matched fighters and refereed. She worked with Jessie Owens Track and Field and worked at every Great Race since the first one held in 1977; and,
WHEREAS, as the arts and crafts teacher, she taught ceramics to teens and adults, and even taught classes to build Eddie Kites in which the participants competed in an annual event; and,
WHEREAS, in 2001, she became the Center Director for Phillips Rec Center, reuniting the staff and the community with a variety of new programming for all ages, until its closing in 2003 due to budget restraints; and,
WHEREAS, after 18 months, Mickey was called to return to the Brookline Rec Center, and within 3 months, she reinstituted the boxing program where participants competed in the Golden Gloves Junior Olympics and several other prestigious shows. With the help of outstanding coaches, and Mike Radley and Dwayne Ashley from the City, boxing was expanded to two other sites; and,
WHEREAS, in addition, Mickey worked with Brookline Breeze and created Breeze Week, instituted new programs such as WalkFit, Jazzercise, cheerleading classes, cooking classes, soccer, kickball, and a reading program, including English as a second language. She was involved with the lunch program for 41 years and was a certified lifeguard; and,
WHEREAS, Mickey was presented an award from Abraxis for a community service program she developed with the local magistrate to get a non-violent offender involved in the recreation center's activities; and,
WHEREAS, in spite of all she has ...
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