Madam Speaker, I rise today in admiration and respect to honor the life and unselfish works of Amy Shimberg. Amy’s remarkable contributions to our hometown of Tampa had a tremendous impact on our neighbors and is worthy of recognition. She is survived by her five children and their spouses, 15 grandchildren, brother and numerous nieces and nephews who she loved very much.

Amy was born, raised and educated in New York City. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from New York University and her master’s in education from Columbia University. After teaching in New York, she followed her parents to Florida where she continued teaching. Amy met the love of her life and life partner in doing good, Jim, on a blind date. Jim and Amy started their 50 year marriage and settled in Tampa in 1958.

Amy was a tireless community volunteer with a very strong interest in public education. She served as PTA president of every school her children attended and continued her involvement with the PTA after her youngest graduated from high school. Many organizations in the Tampa Bay Area benefited from her tireless advocacy and passion. She served on the Citizens Advisory Board to the Hillsborough County School Board and the board of the Hillsborough Education Foundation. She also volunteered for Meals on Wheels in the 1970s and continued serving for more than 25 years, twice as president. She loved helping her neighbors in such a direct and personal way. In a window into Amy’s heart, she believed that she gained more from neighbors she visited and delivered meals to than they did. In addition to her direct work delivering meals, she was instrumental in raising funds for Meals on Wheels and was the honorary chairperson of the capital campaign to build a new facility. Her dedication to this cause that brightens the days of so many is unmatched and one of the main reasons Meals on Wheels is such a success and Amy is so revered in Tampa Bay.

Amy was instrumental in helping not just our senior neighbors, but children as well. She co-chaired a fundraising campaign for Nature's Classroom to benefit future generations of sixth graders. She was recognized for her wonderful work, including receiving the Community Hero Award from the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation in 2014. The philanthropic contributions of Amy and Jim improved the lives of many people in the Tampa Bay area and the James and Amy Shimberg Charitable Trust and the James and Amy Shimberg Foundation, will keep the good deeds going for more generations.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the citizens of Florida and my neighbors across Tampa Bay, I am proud to honor Amy Shimberg for her formidable efforts and selfless devotion to the people in our community. The time and energy she put into making Tampa Bay a better place to live are unmatched. Volunteering thousands of hours to those in need must be celebrated. Amy Shimberg taught us the true meaning of the word mitzvah and her legacy as a tireless advocate will live on and inspire others in the community.