She's received letters from friends near. And phone calls from friends far.

That includes some of both from friends ... that she didn't even know she had.

"I've gotten cards from people I've never even heard of," said longtime Ottawa hairdresser Kay Halterman. "And I got one call from Long Island, N.Y. They said that that they saw the article about me in the Chicago Tribune, and just had to call."

The accolades have been fast and furious for Halterman -- the subject of a feature story in the Daily Times by staff writer Melissa Garzanelli (Aug. 27, 2004) and a Sunday Tribune front-page story (Feb. 27, 2005) focusing on her 60-year hairdressing career in the Friendly City -- the past several months. But Wednesday afternoon, however, the friendly 85-year-old beautician received perhaps her biggest honor to date.

She was recognized by the Illinois General Assembly.

"It's overwhelming," Halterman said on Wednesday at her cozy beauty shop on Taylor Street once State Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Coal City finished reading a resolution passed by the state lauding Halterman's career. "Just overwhelming."

After reading about Halterman in the Tribune in February, an impressed Gordon and her assistant decided to put forth a motion in the General Assembly to have the beautician recognized. It passed, and Gordon had hoped to pull off a surprise this week when letting Halterman know about it.

Didn't happen.

"(Gordon's assistant) called and asked my husband if he could keep a secret from his wife," Halterman said about Ralph, with whom she'll celebrate a 58th anniversary this summer. "He said 'No way. No way.' "

Despite being prepared, the shock value was no less on Wednesday when Gordon stopped by Halterman's shop to deliver a proclamation that praised the hairdresser's skill and her commitment to the people of the Ottawa.

"I think it's just wonderful that they take the time for the little people," Halterman said. "I can't really describe (this feeling). It's hard to control my emotions ... With all this publicity, you'd think that I'm be a millionaire, but we're practically paupers. Not as far as friends, family, church and town go, though.

"I just think that God has really blessed me."

Gordon said that on Wednesday, the pleasure was all hers.

"This was the most important thing that I had to do today," she said. "This was my most fun thing to do. It's absolutely because of women like (Kay) that I'm able to have the opportunities that I've had as a young woman."