Title
Proclamation recognizing and thanking Judge Lawrence W. Kaplan upon the occasion of his retirement from the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.
Body
WHEREAS, Allegheny County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have been blessed with exemplary leadership throughout the history of our great nation, with visionaries of great knowledge and determination making invaluable contributions to our communities, our country and the world; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Lawrence W. Kaplan retired on December 19, 2008 after 30 years of dedicated service to the families of Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, from 1982-1987 he served on the board of the Academy of Family Mediators and is the founder and president emeritus of the Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Judge Kaplan's contributions to the field of mediation were honored by the combined efforts of the Allegheny County Bar Association's Dispute Resolution Committee, the Pittsburgh Mediation Center, and the Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania in 2004, who initiated the annual Lawrence W. Kaplan Lecture in Conflict Resolution; and
WHEREAS, Judge Kaplan is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, active in the community, he currently serves on the boards of Alpha House, Carriage House Children's Center, and Pittsburgh Parental Stress Center, while also serving on the advisory boards of Contact Pittsburgh, Bethlehem Haven, Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee and WQED Multimedia;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Allegheny County Council does hereby recognize your many achievements and this Council wishes you health and happiness in your retirement, and we join with your family and friends in celebrating this momentous occasion with you.