Jan. 09, 2025
House Citations a Great Way to Honor Special Achievements
Returning home from the recent swearing-in ceremony in Harrisburg, I am filled with humility and gratitude.
As outlined in the Pennsylvania Constitution, the event is to take place on the first Tuesday of January to open the 2025-26 Legislative Session. Though members have been working in their home districts, now officially having taken the oath of office, the General Assembly can consider legislative proposals.
I keep my love for the neighborhoods and communities in the 55th Legislative District as my highest priority while engaged in legislative work, and it’s not difficult to do. During the 2023-24 Legislative Session, my first as a state representative, I met some really great people at a variety of community events and in my district offices.
Some of the most memorable conversations occurred at local events celebrating someone’s special achievements or momentous occasions. Often as part of a party or meeting, I can present that individual with an official House of Representatives citation. Presenting citations to honor people who have served their community or have reached praiseworthy milestones quickly became some of my favorite events.
A Pennsylvania House Citation is written by Pennsylvania’s Legislative Reference Bureau for the purpose of recognizing noteworthy achievements of Pennsylvania residents. Once drafted, citations become a permanent part of Pennsylvania’s legislative records and can be found in the official Pennsylvania State Archives for generations to come.
One of the most memorable citations was when I joined a 100-year birthday celebration in May of 2023. Held at a local senior center, I was tearful in speaking with the honorees, Ramond Zeyzus of Export and Mary Lutz of Avonmore. Raymond is a World War II veteran and a long-term member of the Export Volunteer Fire Department. Mary has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and is very active at the Avonmore Senior Center. Their stories and insights were incredibly meaningful, and I was honored to share in the day.
Another event where citations are often used is to honor first responders having met 25- and 50-year anniversaries of their service. In November of 2023, I had the opportunity to present citations to ten 50-year volunteers at the New Kensington Volunteer Fire Department at their 73rd Annual Banquet. A 50-year tenure of fire training, fundraising, maintaining equipment, as well as saving lives, is certainly an inspiring achievement.
The Legislative Reference Bureau has a set of criteria as to what qualifies for a citation. If you know someone who will be celebrating such a special achievement or occasion, I want to encourage you to contact my Washington Township/Export office at 724-387-9113 or my New Kensington office at 724-472-4102 to learn more.
I also enjoy visiting with local businesses and attending local meetings of various boards and nonprofit organizations. These are great opportunities to learn about potential challenges and issues they are facing and see if my office is able to help. It’s a great honor to be invited to such meetings, so if you operate a business or are part of civil organization or other community board, please do not hesitate to contact me.
During the 2023-24 Legislative Session, my office hosted 24 district events and we attended 242 events or activities through the district, all of which expanded my understanding on several subjects. In many cases, my staff and I were successful in resolving issues that were discussed. These meetings also inspired legislative proposals that I authored.
On a similar topic, I want to invite you to visit with my staff and me at upcoming open house events at my district offices. They are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 17, at the Washington Township/Export office in Donal Plaza,
105 Pfeffer Road, Suite 5, in Export; Friday, Feb. 14, at the New Kensington office in the Parnassus Professional Building,
356 Freeport St., Suite 100, in New Kensington; and Thursday, March 20, at the Murrysville office in the Murrysville Community Center,
3091 Carson Ave. in Murrysville.
Here are some additional news topics and reminders I would like to share.
Blood Donation Saves Lives - Did you know that every two seconds in America, someone urgently needs blood? January is National Blood Donor Month, an opportunity to both honor voluntary blood donors and encourage new donors to help save lives. National Blood Donor Month was first designated by proclamation of President Richard Nixon on Dec. 31, 1969.
The start of the new year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products as the threat of winter weather builds and can often lead to widespread blood drive cancellations. In addition to winter weather, an active cold and flu season may prevent people from keeping donation appointments as they rest and recover from illness.
Only 3% of eligible Americans currently donate blood, despite 65% of the population being eligible to do so. You can learn more and find where to donate by visiting www.pa.gov and navigating to the Pennsylvania Department of Health section.
Reminder to License Your Dog in 2025 - The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is reminding dog owners to license their pets for 2025.
All dogs three months of age and older are required to be licensed by Jan. 1 of each year. Dog owners may choose to purchase single year licenses or a lifetime license, if their dog has some form of permanent identification, such as a microchip or tattoo.
Single year licenses cost $8.70, while lifetime licenses cost $52.70. Senior citizens or people with disabilities may purchase a single year license for $6.70 or a lifetime license for $36.70.
Licenses are available for purchase through the Westmoreland County Treasurer’s office. You can learn more by visiting co.westmoreland.pa.us or calling 724-830-3180.