TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR WILHELMENIA RUFF ROBINSON OF GREENWOOD COUNTY FOR HER MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED AND OUTSTANDING PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TO WISH HER MUCH HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

Whereas, a native of Ninety-Six in Greenwood County, Mrs. Wilhelmenia Ruff Robinson is a graduate of Allen University and Clemson University. She has dedicated her life to teaching and counseling for more than forty years, helping our citizens, both young and old, to find assistance with their personal and educational needs. Her service has been impeccable; and

Whereas, as a woman of faith, Mrs. Robinson is a member of Morris Chapel Baptist Church, where she serves as a Sunday School teacher for teenagers and is a member of the Morris Chapel Planning Committee, Usher Board, Missionary Society, and Deaconess Board; and

Whereas, she organized a community awareness association for her neighborhood, works with the voter-registration drive, and counsels students in their career planning and testing. As a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, she organized the Stork's Nest, a cooperative program with the March of Dimes that promotes prenatal care and encourages healthy behaviors during pregnancy for high-risk mothers. She also serves with ZHOPE (Zetas Helping Other People Excel) and coordinates a coat drive and cancer walk every year. In addition, she organizes the elder-care symposium; and

Whereas, Mrs. Robinson has worked with the Gleams Human Resource Programs. Every Saturday, she helped coordinate the college-prep program that provides study skills, testing preparation, career exploration, financial aid and scholarship application, college field trips, and counseling to encourage and support success in high school. She also served as director of the Magic Johnson Center in Greenwood. The center was available for students and adults who wanted to develop their computer skills; and

Whereas, at present, Wilhelmenia Ruff Robinson is director of the Anna Robinson Homework Center. Staffed by volunteers, the nonprofit center provides tutoring to students from kindergarten through fourth grade. Students also may increase their computer skills and participate in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) projects. Manners and respect are the keys the center strives to promote. Since the center's inception in 2004, staff members, working toward the goal of providing children with an opportunity to receive educational support for educational success, have served over three hundred students; and

Whereas, Mrs. Robinson also has worked as career counselor at Lander College and as an adult education instructor and counselor with Greenwood County; and

Whereas, the Senate, grateful for Wilhelmenia Ruff Robinson's decades of faithfulness in serving the people of South Carolina, takes great pleasure in commending her for her contributions to this great State, especially in Greenwood County. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Wilhelmenia Ruff Robinson of Greenwood County for her many years of dedicated and outstanding public and community service and wish her much happiness and fulfillment in the days ahead.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Wilhelmenia Ruff Robinson.