[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 20 (Tuesday, March 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         JIM BRADFORD RECEIVES 1993 GEICO PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

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                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 1, 1994

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, it is with much admiration and a deep 
sense of pride that I bring to your attention Mr. Jim Bradford. Mr. 
Bradford is a 1993 GEICO Public Service Award recipient for his 
outstanding work as a vocational rehabilitation therapist at the VA 
Medical Center in Long Beach, CA.
  Mr. Bradford, a resident of Costa Mesa, brings his years of therapy 
experience, vast background in horticulture and compassion for disabled 
veterans to create a beautiful garden--dedicated to the rehabilitation 
of disabled patients--on the medical center grounds.
  He creatively designed the garden with wide concrete walkways and 
mouthstick-operated devices to give patients unable to use their arms 
or legs the ability to plant, water, and harvest their crops from 
specially raised planting beds.
  Mr. Bradford's keen business sense came into play when he developed 
the Compensated Work Therapy Program. This program takes the produce 
and flowers grown in the garden and sells it to the medical center 
staff and local restaurants with the proceeds used to pay the patients 
and restock the plant supply.
  Jim Bradford is an extraordinary man with love in his heart. His 
commitment to a horticulture therapy for disabled veterans is to be 
admired. Let me tip my hat to Mr. Bradford's generous contributions to 
the men and women who gave their lives for us--for Mr. Bradford now 
gives his time and tireless efforts to them. Thank you and keep up the 
wonderful work.

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