Coordinator Safety Patrol Program at Our Lady of Hope School
Family Background:
Cathy Kitterle was born on July 22, 1956 at Northshore University Hospital in Manhassett to Maurice Lewis and Lorraine Lewis (deceased). Her parents, residents of Great Neck, were proud to take a sister home to Polly, who now manages the box office for the Philadelphia Ballet. Shortly after her birth, Cathy was dedicated as a Christian in the Unitarian Church in Manhassett. She also has two younger brothers: Matt, who is a Vice-President at Lehman Brothers, and Jay, who is a Staff Sergeant E7 in the U.S. Army. Cathy attended Baker Hill elementary school in Great Neck and Great Neck Junior and Senior High Schools. With a smile Cathy says, nothing special about her schooling, except that she did graduate in a timely manner. She does however have fond memories of her family’s monthly trips to the Theater and to the Ballet. “We always did things as a family,” she says. In 1981, Cathy married Kevin Kitterle, a foreman for a sheet metal company in East New York and became a resident of Middle Village. Kevin and Cathy have a twelve-year-old daughter, Laura, a 7th grader and honor student at Our Lady of Hope School.
Career Highlights:
After finishing High School, Cathy went to work at “Muldoons Too” restaurant in Jackson Heights. Later she and her husband purchased the establishment, which she ran successfully, until Laura was born. At that time, she decided to become a “stay-at-home Mom,” and participate actively in the growth, development and education of their daughter.
Community Affiliations:
Cathy and her family regularly attend services at Our Lady of Hope Roman Catholic Church. As a parent of a child attending Our Lady of Hope School, Cathy takes her obligation to be of service to the school seriously. Hence two years ago, she volunteered to become the Coordinator of the School Safety Program. In that position, she schedules and oversees a cohort of approximately fifty parent volunteers to ensure that our school children are dropped off in a orderly and safe manner. Cathy and two parent volunteers can be seen daily on Eliot Avenue enforcing the “drop off” zone regulations and helping crossing guard, Andrea Houck, with street crossing duties. When asked why she spends her time in this manner, Cathy admits that one of her pet peeves is “double parking.” She feels that it is one of the most unsafe and disrespectful things one can do, especially in a busy school zone, where child safety is of utmost importance. She also hates it when people complain, but don’t take any action to remedy the situation. After the children are safely assembled in their classrooms, she joins the lunchroom staff in setting up for lunch in the cafeteria. Cathy is also a member of Make-a-Wish Foundation and has participated in several wish-fulfilling events in recent years, including a limousine trip to FAO Schwarz.
Special Interests:
“Do what you believe in and what makes you happy,” is one of Cathy’s favorite sayings. Hence she, her husband and their daughter enrolled in the Tae Kwon Do classes, which are offered twice a week at Our Lady of Hope. All three have earned black belts in this martial art. In her spare time, she likes to paint. Her folk art paintings can be found in the home of many of her friends. And one of her fondest dreams is to once again own her own restaurant.
