[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E343-E344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CONGRATULATIONS BETH SHALOM OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE

                                 ______


                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 1996

  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Congregation Beth 
Shalom from my home State of Delaware. Two years ago, Congregation Beth 
Shalom, located in Wilmington, initiated what is known as ``Mitzvah 
Day'', a day when congregation members of all ages devote their time 
and energy to assist others in the community who are less fortunate and 
are in need. Mitzvah is the Hebrew word for commandments, and signifies 
righteous acts by individuals that are considered to be virtuous, kind, 
and considerate. In the Jewish faith, individuals are expected to carry 
out a mitzvah every day. In fact, in the Torah, which is the first of 
five books of Moses, some 613 mitzvot are listed to which Jews can 
aspire. Mitzvah Day is Congregation Beth Shalom's way of reminding the 
faithful of their obligations to their fellow man.
  This Sunday, March 17, 1996, will mark the third annual Mitzvah Day, 
and I am pleased to join the good people of Congregation Beth Shalom 
for ceremonies signaling the start of another day when people will 
reach out to their neighbors to say they care and want to make life a 
bit more enjoyable for all. Those who will participate this Sunday and 
those who have helped others in previous years are known as mitzvah 
mavens; people who are concerned about their fellow human beings every 
day.
  Before Mitzvah Day is over, they will have collected and sorted 
thousands of food items for the Food Bank in Newark; they will have 
baked bread and cookies for the families at the Ronald McDonald House 
in Wilmington; they will have cooked and served lunch to the clients at 
the Sojourners Place in Wilmington, who are overcoming drug and alcohol 
dependency; they will have visited and played bingo with the assisted 
living or nursing care residents at the Kutz Home and Parkview Nursing 
Home in Wilmington; and, they will have conducted numerous visits or 
had meals with congregation members who are homebound because of 
sickness or disability.
  Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the mitzvah mavens will have done all of 
this, and by Sunday evening, when the sun goes down, hundreds of 
Delawareans will feel just a bit better about themselves, some will 
have enjoyed one more meal than they thought they might, and Delaware 
will have had its quality of life improved that much more. All of this 
because the Congregation Beth Shalom in Wilmington, DE, encourages and 
supports kindness toward others and actions which can truly improve 
people's lives.

[[Page E344]]



       BELLFLOWER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER

                                 ______


                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 1996

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute an institution and a 
community in California's 38th Congressional District whose history is 
a model of how the citizens of America's small towns--through their 
values, their hard work, and, in particular, their strong civic 
spirit--have made America strong. This year, the Bellflower Chamber of 
Commerce celebrates its 75th year of leadership. It is fitting that on 
this occasion, its history and the history of the city it has so 
diligently served be celebrated for what they have accomplished--and 
for what they can teach the world.
  Bellflower was built by people of many backgrounds. Its early history 
began in 1784, as one of the first Spanish land grants conferred in 
California. Governor Pedro Fages rewarded Spanish leathercoat soldier 
Manuel Nieto with the largest of these grants. After the Spanish were 
ousted in the Mexican Revolution, Nieto's land grant was divided into 
five small ranchos which were distributed among his heirs. Bellflower 
would later be founded where the boundaries of three of these ranchos--
Santa Gertrudes, Los Coyotes, and Los Cerritos--met.
  The three ranchos prospered through California's Golden Age of the 
Ranchos, from the gold rush of the 1840's into the 1860's, when a 
terrible drought brought the rancho way of life to an end.
  The ranchos were sold at auction to purchasers who, in addition to 
ranching, subdivided parts of them for small farming operations. The 
section that was to become Bellflower was subjected annually to 
terrible flooding from the San Gabriel River. If also had dense 
growth--willow, black berries, and bamboo--which meant that only the 
hardiest of farmers could settle here. And they did. Within a few 
years, the area was renowned for its large-sized crops. Fueled by the 
hard work and commitment of the early settlers, Bellflower's poultry, 
dairy, horticultural, and farming industries steadily grew. Hispanic 
and American farmers were soon joined by Dutch, Swiss, Belgian, 
Japanese, and Portuguese families.
  With the establishment by the Pacific Electric Railway of the 
Somerset Station in 1902, Bellflower farmers were able to get their 
crops to markets and visitors were able to come to the Bellflower area 
via the ``Big Red Cars.'' Soon after, land developers began laying out 
streets and selling parcels of land near the Somerset Station. Soon a 
town grew up. Though the area was still unnamed--some called it the New 
River Colony, others Somerset Acres--the residents were determined to 
build a town.
  Following California's tradition of strong support for education, the 
first thing these residents did was to petition for a school district. 
That was in 1908. In the next year, they asked for a post office. They 
quickly received both.
  The residents first asked for a post office under the name of 
Somerset. But postal authorities, wishing to prevent confusion, 
rejected the name because there already was a Somerset in Colorado. 
Another subdivision in the area was known as Bellflower Acres, and its 
proponents championed that name for the new community. Although it is 
not known precisely how the selection was made by the area's residents, 
it was the one registered by postal officials.
  It is not certain how the name Bellflower came into the picture in 
the first place. The most common explanation links the name with the 
orchard of Bellefleure apples grown by pioneer settler William Gregory.
  By 1910, the business district began to develop. In 1913, Southern 
California Edison installed electric lines. In 1914, gas lines were 
brought into Bellflower. Up to 50 trains ran through the area each day 
to and from Los Angeles. The town was on its way. The only thing 
Bellflower lacked was a government.

  In 1912, Los Angeles County had adopted a charter covering the 
government of the unincorporated towns. Bellflower--with its 
unincorporated status--lived under county government for the next 45 
years.
  But the civic pride of Bellflower's citizens was too strong to rely 
solely on Los Angeles County. Unable to form their own government, they 
organized the Bellflower Improvement Association in 1921 to serve as a 
representative body for all of the town's organizations and interests. 
The improvement association has 12 members. The following year--
indicating the enthusiasm and civic spirit that has always been the 
hallmark of Bellflower--the association's membership had swelled to 80. 
That year--1922--it became known as the Bellflower Chamber of Commerce 
with R.J. Parsonson as president and a board consisting of Vice 
President Bruce Guernsey, Secretary J.C. Hertel, Treasurer C.A. Conrad, 
and Sergeant at Arms George McCormick.
  Under the county's governing of unincorporated communities, there was 
no local body officially charged with looking after the affairs of the 
town. The chamber quickly filled his vacuum, ``governing'' for over 30 
years through an unofficial town hall.
  Since the Chamber had no legislative authority to make its decision 
binding, its effectiveness depended upon how well it served the 
community. Those early chamber members worked hard to gain the trust 
and respect of the residents. This tradition continues today.
  It was during the years of unincorporation--1921 to 1957, when 
Bellflower became California's 348th city--that the area experienced 
impressive growth. Through the guidance of the chamber, Bellflower 
quickly became a highly respected and admired community.
  One example of the chamber's determination to keep Bellflower strong 
and vital was the erection of the ``52 Day Miracle Building'' in 1938. 
At that time, the Los Angeles County Building Department offices were 
located in Bellflower. However, the administrators were considering a 
move to Downey where rent was cheaper. The Bellflower chamber 
spearheaded a drive to keep the county's offices in their town. With 
the chamber in the lead, local merchants provided funded to erect a new 
building. Incredibly, the project was completed--from idea to opening 
ceremonies--in just 52 days.
  By the 1950's, the population of Bellflower became so large and 
varied that it could no longer be adequately governed under the old 
county charter system. With the chamber leading the way, Bellflower 
received its certification of incorporation on September 3, 1957.
  Today, the Bellflower Chamber of Commerce remains a vital, 
contributing member of our area. Its history reminds us that a city is 
not built with bricks, mortar, and asphalt alone. It comes to life and 
remains vibrant and healthy through the commitment, dedication, hard 
work, and strong values of its residents. The history of the Bellflower 
community and the leadership provided by the Bellflower Chamber of 
Commerce are models of these values. California and the United States 
are indeed fortunate to have Bellflower and the commitment of its 
citizens.

                          ____________________