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Proclamation honoring the life, memory and legacy of Donna M. Walker Cook.
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WHEREAS, Allegheny County Council does hereby honor the life of the late Donna M. Walker Cook, a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother, who passed away on April 22, 2020 at the age of 61; and
WHEREAS, a graduate of Morgantown High School, Donna earned a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology/audiology from West Virginia University, and eventually earned her M.S. from there as well; and
WHEREAS, Donna was a devoted wife to her husband, Tim Cook for 36 years and together they had two sons, Tyler and Colin; and
WHEREAS, Donna displayed remarkable fortitude and passion towards helping others. For 35 years, Donna considered it a privilege to work with individuals with special needs, and their families at the Easter Seals Western PA Speech Department located in Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, as an active member of her community in Bethel Park, Donna was actively involved with the District, first as a PTO member and President, ultimately serving as the PTO Council’s President. Her impressive leadership skills with the PTO translated to a School Director position, where she ultimately served as President for 10 years; and
WHEREAS, Donna was a dedicated public servant who used her role as school director to champion not only the children, but all citizens in Bethel Park; and
WHEREAS, over the 16 years on School Board, Donna was influential in contributing to the following accomplishments: guiding the District out of a more than $2 million deficit; building a new state-of-the-art Bethel Park High School; renovating all Bethel Park schools to make sure the roofs and HVAC units were upgraded; approving the expenditure of over $1 million to provide all students with one-to-one technology; making the schools safer through added security measures, including the creation of the School Police Force; and supporting an excellent educational environment that pro...
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