[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 54 (Thursday, March 23, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     ST. PETERSBURG INTERNATIONAL FOLK FAIR SOCIETY CELEBRATES 20TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______


                          HON. C.W. BILL YOUNG

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 22, 1995
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this weekend I had the opportunity 
to participate in the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society's 
[SPIFFS] 20th annual International Folk Fair, one of our city's great 
annual traditions.
  As in past years, thousands of people flocked to the Thunderdome, the 
future home of major league baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays, to sample 
the ethnic cuisines of 55 nationalities and to walk through the 
cultural exhibits of the SPIFFS world village.
  It was in 1976 that Bethia Caffery, a former columnist for the St. 
Petersburg Evening Independent, brought together a small group of our 
community's prominent ethnic leaders to organize SPIFFS as part of the 
city of St. Petersburg's Bicentennial Celebration. Their early 
successes turned this small, loosely organized group into a full time 
organization that now provides year-round programs throughout Pinellas 
County and the Tampa Bay area. They have also become a tremendous 
resource for our local schools to educate students about the history 
and culture of countries around the world, large and small.
  This year's fair included the colorful Ukrainian Academy of Dance 
from Toronto, Canada, and Step Dancers from Ireland. Additional 
entertainment was provided by the various local groups that comprise 
SPIFFS. For me, however, the significance of SPIFFS takes hold during 
the opening ceremonies where the flags of the nations of SPIFFS gather 
around the Stars and Stripes. It is then that each of us puts away 
ethnic political differences to join in giving thanks for the freedoms 
of America and to pledge allegiance to the United States.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great admiration that I congratulate SPIFFS, 
its officers, and its societies for the contributions they have made to 
our community and to our country over these past 20 years. I salute 
them for their work, look forward to next year's fair, and thank the 
St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society for making their 
Representative in Congress proud of their efforts to educate each of us 
about our Nation's great ethnic diversity and heritage.


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