Rep. Gerlach dedicates campaign to his late mother

U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach has fought three tough campaigns to win Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District.

Gerlach, seeking his fourth two-year term, has a special incentive to win re-election in November.

Gerlach has dedicated his campaign to his mother, Helen, who recently passed away.

From Gerlach's campaign Web site:

"To Mom: This Campaign's For You!"

"As many on our campaign team know, my mother, Helen Gerlach, passed away on May 14th at the age of 79. For those who knew her, she was a vibrant and energetic individual absolutely passionate about politics and public service. For the past 14 years, she worked as a legislative assistant for Pa. State Senator Mary Jo White in NW Pa. And, boy, did she enjoy the work of helping constituents, representing Mary Jo at community events and visiting young children in local schools. In fact, she was so committed to her work that she did not take one sick day during those 14 years until just 3 days before she passed. But that was Mom- thoroughly committed and dedicated to whatever she did.

And that certainly describes Mom in her family life. Widowed at age 32 with 3 kids age 7, 5 and 6 weeks, she refused welfare and went to work raising us with the values of honesty, determination, perseverance, and personal responsibility. Through her work ethic and on a shoe-string budget, she managed to raise us in a loving and nurturing home, take us on a week's vacation every year, and even put us through college. Her approach was to raise us with "love, roots and wings" and she accomplished that to the highest level. And she continued, in later years, to provide that same nurturing and support to her 8 grandchildren and 3 step-grandchildren.

To many in NW Pa., and her colleagues in Harrisburg, Mom was known as "The Helenator" for her dogged determination to help constituents and her
"can do" spirit.

As my dear friend Hud Voltz put it when he learned of her passing: "She rode high in the saddle, with her boots on, and packin' plenty of heat!" Did she ever! But that "heat" was really just a powerful combination of love, commitment to family, compassion for her fellow human beings, a terrific sense of humor, and sheer willpower.

So as my family and I continue to mourn the loss of this unbelievable individual, our grief is balanced with our recognition of how God has blessed us in allowing us to share our lives with her. And as one who has the honor to serve fellow citizens as their elected representative, I constantly strive to exercise her essential qualities of fairness, decency and common sense..

So for what Mom meant to me, her family, and her community, I would like to dedicate the remainder of this campaign to her!

The Loving Son of The Helenator-

- Jim

Read more about Jim Gerlach at his campaign Web site, http://www.jimgerlachforcongress.com/