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“TRIBUTE TO JULIE SITTASON” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S10413 on July 31, 2007.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO JULIE SITTASON
Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to Julie Sittason, who has dedicated over 20 years of her life to caring for others. On August 16, 2007, when Julie steps down as the executive director of Hospice of West Alabama, she will leave behind a legacy of service to others.
Julie and I have been friends for many years. She graduated from my alma mater, the University of Alabama, with an undergraduate degree in sociology and a master's degree in counseling and guidance from the University of Alabama. Soon after, Julie decided to pursue a rewarding career of serving and caring for others.
For 7 years, Julie worked as a counselor at the Alabama State Department of Industrial Relations, providing guidance to the blind, the hearing impaired and recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children. Later, Julie returned to the University of Alabama to work as the program administrator for the West Alabama Comprehensive Services program.
In 1986, Julie was named executive director of Hospice of West Alabama. When she was hired, the Agency only employed three full-time staffers, operating on an annual budget of $86,000. Today, the budget has grown to $5 million a year and Hospice of West Alabama has 70 employees, serving 600 patients a year in Tuscaloosa, Greene, Hale, Bibb and Pickens Counties.
Over the past two decades, Julie has overseen many changes at Hospice of West Alabama. It was under her direction in 1997 when the Agency became the first community-based hospice in the State of Alabama to be officially recognized by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In 2004, it was Julie's vision that led to the construction of the $5 million facility that includes the State's first community-based inpatient hospice facility.
While many people think that the service Julie contributes each day through her work at Hospice of West Alabama is enough, she thinks otherwise. As an avid volunteer, Julie continues to serve with organizations such as the March of Dimes, the MS Walkathon and Soup Bowl. She has served as an adviser for Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority, is on the administrative board for First United Methodist Church, and the board of directors for United Cerebral Palsy, Castle Hill Clinic and the Maude Whatley Clinic. Julie has also held several leadership positions in the Alabama Hospice Organization.
Julie is married to Chuck Sittason. She has two daughters, Katherine Cramer, who served with distinction as my first Senate page in 1995, and Meredith Cramer.
As Julie embarks on another phase in her life, she will remain an inspiration to many and will be remembered for her dedication and many contributions to Hospice of West Alabama. I wish her much luck in her future endeavors, and I ask this entire Senate to join me in recognizing and honoring the life and career of my good friend Julie Sittason.
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