Recognizing Bette Cook and Her 47 Years of Service to USAID

Mark Mason, Sarah Harrover, Nora Jewell, Eileen Pugh, Stephanie Ney, and others. These individuals have demonstrated dedication to their community through their service on the board. Charles D. Lemmond, Jr., a former Pennsylvania State Senator, passed away on May 31, 2012. Born on the anniversary of Ben Franklin's birthday, Lemmond grew up in Forty Fort, Luzerne County, and graduated as the president of his senior class. He served in the United States Army in occupied Italy and later attended Harvard College, where he majored in Government. Lemmond practiced law for a quarter of a century, serving as the solicitor for several Northeastern Pennsylvania municipalities and as first assistant district attorney of Luzerne County. Lemmond was appointed as a Judge of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas in 1980 and later elected as the senator representing Pennsylvania's 20th District in 1985. He focused on improving the quality of state government and the judicial system, serving as chairman of the State Senate Government Committee and vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Lemmond worked to secure the rights of abused children, modify workmen's compensation laws, and protect the tax-exempt status of charitable organizations. Throughout his career, Lemmond served on numerous committees and boards of directors for community and charitable organizations. He was a life member of Wyoming Seminary's Board of Trustees and an advisory board member of the Salvation Army and the Penn State University Wilkes-Barre Campus. Lemmond was also a lay leader of the First United Methodist Church of Wilkes-Barre and served in many leadership roles in the Wyoming Conference of the United Methodist Church. Bette Cook has dedicated 47 years to public service, working with USAID and its predecessor, the International Cooperation Administration, the Department of Defense, and SSA. She began her career in development in 1961 as Foreign Service staff at the United States Operations Mission in Tunisia. Cook helped manage a successful economic and technical assistance program that led to the nation's graduation from USAID funding in 1994. She continued to devote herself to humanitarian and development challenges in Vietnam, joining the newly-established Vietnam Bureau in 1965. Throughout her years of service, Cook has played a pivotal role in ensuring that USAID delivers on its mission. She has skillfully managed the Congressional Budget Justification preparation and submission and has continually shared information about the Agency's humanitarian assistance efforts on the Hill. Cook's work has securely positioned development as vital to maintaining national security. Her dedication to bettering the lives of people around the world has been clear throughout her career. The Family Pantry of Cape Cod has provided essential services to those in need for nearly 23 years. The organization serves an average of 900 families each month, making it the largest food pantry on Cape Cod. They have more than doubled the supply of food and services to those in need over the past five years, relying on a dedicated set of volunteers to achieve this goal. The Family Pantry of Cape Cod embodies the spirit of community service and dedication to helping those in need.