Senate Resolution No. 1053 BY: Senator MAYER CONGRATULATING Anne Capeci upon the occasion of her retirement after 30 years of distinguished service as a Board member of the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and cannot be sufficiently extolled; and WHEREAS, Anne Capeci has given not only of her time and energies but also of her competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently has been designated for special honor; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Anne Capeci upon the occasion of her retirement after 30 years of distinguished service as a Board member of the Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District; and WHEREAS, The unity of our State and Nation is built upon the compassion of individuals who uphold the values of community life and who, through their great actions, epitomize the best of humanity; Anne Capeci is one such individual; and WHEREAS, Anne and Amid Capeci were united in marriage in 1960, and together they instilled in their four children the importance of a good education; and WHEREAS, While raising her children, Anne Capeci was an active member of the PTA and Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District; she began her lifelong dedication to the educational community as president of the George Washington School PTA and always did her best to support the programs her children were involved in; and WHEREAS, First elected to the Port Chester Board of Education in 1993, Anne Capeci has continuously served through nine elections, during which time she was instrumental in bringing the Open Door program to the school district; this vital program helps children without private medical or dental insurance get the care they need; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, throughout her tenure, Anne Capeci collaborated with her fellow board members to support the administration in the efforts to raise standardized test scores and develop new sports programs such as ice hockey, swimming, lacrosse, cheerleading, and gymnastics; she was also a vital component in the renovation and expansion of both educational and sports facilities at Port Chester High School, while maintaining the beauty of the campus; and WHEREAS, In her more than five decades of community service, Anne Capeci was a member of the Port Chester Youth Bureau and Youth Court; she also gave tirelessly of her time and energies to United Hospital as a volunteer, board member, and member of the Mayfair Board; and WHEREAS, For more than 30 years, Anne Capeci has also been a member of the Port Chester-Rye Brook Rotary Club, where she was been named a Paul Harris Fellow, served two terms as president, and hosted a three-year-old Gift of Life child from the Philippines in her home after a life-changing operation; and WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to her community, Anne Capeci takes immense pride in her annual participation in the Rotarian Thanksgiving food drive and holiday bellringing to benefit the Salvation Army; and WHEREAS, After losing her son to melanoma, Anne established the Amid Roland Capeci, Jr. Scholarship at Port Chester High School for students studying art and design, a fitting tribute as Amid got his start within the Port Chester school system and went on to enjoy a very successful career as Design Director at Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Newsweek, to name a few; and WHEREAS, A longtime resident of Port Chester, New York, Anne Capeci is now the proud grandmother to five grandchildren, and in her retirement will continue to give back to the community that has given so much to her and her family; and WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the occurrence of such a compassionate blending of strength, leadership, intellect, and commitment as that demonstrated by Anne Capeci over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to others; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate Anne Capeci upon the occasion of her retirement, and to wish her continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Anne Capeci.