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Peter Morales: Well, look at you
dedicated, religious fanatics

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up bright and early and
voting on things this morning.

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It's wonderful.

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Every year when the
selection of the recipient

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of the president's award for
volunteer service comes up,

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I always ask my colleagues
for recommendations.

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And this year, the
name of Kathy Burek

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kept coming up over and over.

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And with good reason.

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For Kathy has been at the
center of important changes

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in our association.

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Changes that go to the heart
of how we relate to one another

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across our congregations.

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Kathy is well known in her
home congregation, the Michael

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Servetus Unitarian Society,
in Fridley Minnesota.

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But nearly every year
since joining in 1979,

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she's taught in the
Religious Education program,

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she rolled up her sleeves
taking on the leadership

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of the board, the
strategic planning

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committee, several times, and
the Committee on Ministry,

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helping to chart
the way forward.

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Kathy has served
the wider movement

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as president of
Prairie Star District

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and president of the District
Presidents Association.

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Being both a District
President and president

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of all the district
presidents, gave her

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an important perspective on
our efforts to re imagine how

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our districts and our
National Association align

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with one another.

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Kathy was the convener
of the transition team

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that led to the creation
of the mid America region.

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And this work brought
over 200 congregations

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in the central Midwest,
Heartland, and Prairie Star

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Districts together
into one region.

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Now, all of this can sound
kind of wonky and far removed

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from practicing our faith.

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This re imagining of
our relationships,

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however, is crucial
to our success.

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It's all about working
collaboratively together

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and freeing up
dedicated volunteers

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to focus on our mission
and our ministry.

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So Kathy, thank you
for helping to lead

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the way to our new future.

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And to honor her
remarkable service,

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the UUA will make
a $1,000 donation

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to Alexandra House,
whose mission

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is to end domestic
and sexual violence.

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Kathy chose this
organization that

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is supported in part by
her home congregation.

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Please join me in
congratulating Kathy Burek.

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We have to get up.

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Kathy Burek: President
Morales, thank

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you so much for this award.

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I am deeply honored.

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As leaders in our Unitarian
Universalist faith, all of you

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here know that no
one ever accomplishes

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anything of significance alone.

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There are many others
who contributed

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immensely and immeasurably on
the projects that I worked on.

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And I regret I can mention
only a few by name.

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Amy Taylor of Heartland
District, Reverend Brian

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Covell, and Reverend Bill
Sasso of the Central Midwest

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district.

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You are more than colleagues,
you are cherished friends.

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Our dedicated staff, the
members of our district boards,

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UUA leadership and the
UUA board of trustees

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provided much needed
support and encouragement

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through our
regionalization process.

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Phil Reed, Janet Richardi,
Gail Sphar, Ramon Urbano,

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and Jim Key as members of the
Role of Districts Task Force

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Report of the District
Presidents Association.

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I appreciate the two years
of diligent work, insights,

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and contributions to our report.

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Members and staff of the
Employee Benefits Trust Board,

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which I'm pleased
to chair again,

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your dedication has created
a plan we can be proud of.

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Finally, I express my deepest
gratitude to my husband Ed,

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for his willingness to put
up with many hours of phone

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meetings, emails,
document drafting, out

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of town trips, et cetera.

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I know you've given up a
lot to support my work.

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Thank you again President
Morales for this award.

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I will strive to
be worthy of it.

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