[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1617]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING TRUE VOLUNTEERISM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CHARLES F. BASS

                            of new hampshire

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 17, 1996

  Mr. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an effort being 
undertaken by a remarkable young man whom I have the privilege of 
representing in Congress. I am talking about 16-year-old Steffan 
Legasse, of Walpole, NH, who has taken it upon himself to help raise 
money for churches in the South that have been burned and damaged due 
to the wave of recent arson attacks.
  We all are shocked and dismayed by these terrible arson fires. Yet 
one young man from Western New Hampshire was so moved by what he heard 
and saw that he decided to do something to help those affected by the 
church burnings. Steffan undertook a 1,000 mile cycling project this 
summer in order to raise money for the churches and his own church, St. 
John's Episcopal Church, of Walpole. The name of his project is 
``BikeHikes '96.'' Steffan rode his bike from home to his summer job 
each day and has made excursions to Vermont and Georgia in conquest of 
his 1,000 mile goal.
  Recently, while in Georgia, the Legasse family met with the Rev. 
Harry Baldwin, Pastor of the Gay's Baptist Church, of Millen, GA, one 
of many churches recently burned. Some of the funds raised through 
BikeHikes '96 will help Rev. Baldwin's church. Steffan recently wrote 
about his meeting: ``Rev. Baldwin is a very kind and compassionate 
person. He helped me better understand the pain felt by the members of 
his church, yet he also spoke of their faith, hope and determination to 
rebuild. I have learned that even terrible deeds can result in a 
positive outcome.''
  Steffan has biked more than 900 miles as of today. He is taking 
pledges and donations to raise $10,000 for these churches.
  Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of meeting young Steffan the other 
week and I must say I was very impressed. He is a very polite and 
delightful young man who is deeply committed to this project. I know 
that his parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Legasse, are very proud of their 
son, as are Steffan's other family members and friends.
  Steffan is still working on BikeHikes '96 and has set up a site on 
the World Wide Web where computer users can learn for themselves about 
this wonderful project. The website address is http://www.legasse.com/
bikehikes/update.html. For more information on Steffan's effort, you 
may write to 14 Roxbury Street, Keene, NH 03431.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me today in saluting 
Steffan Legasse for his effort to help other citizens in need. He 
represents the true spirit of volunteerism in America.

                          ____________________