[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 103 (Monday, July 21, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7777-S7778]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO ROLAND AND CLAIRE JUTRAS, NATIONAL 1997 PARENTS OF THE YEAR

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to Roland and Claire Jutras of Peterborough, NH, the National 
1997 Parents of the Year. The National Parents' Day Foundation bestowed 
the honor on the Jutrases after searching the Nation for the parents of 
the year.
  Roland Jutras came to town in 1972 to run the town of Peterborough's

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Recreation Department. His 25 years of service to the town's children 
has earned him much praise and esteem from the community around. Roland 
met Claire playing at the co-ed evening volleyball league in 1972. They 
were later married in 1975.
  Roland and Claire are active members of their community. Roland 
received the Peterborough Rotary Club Paul Harris Award in 1989, 
Peterborough Citizen of the Year in 1987, and he was VFW Man of the 
Year in 1981. Roland also served on the ConVal District School Board 
for 2 years and he taught at St. Peter's Church. Claire is involved in 
many community activities as well. She has been a Brownie leader for 3 
years, a St. Peter's religious education teacher for 4 years, preschool 
teacher, recreation volunteer, and a member of a local sorority 
organization. Claire is also a full-time special education aide at 
Peterborough Elementary School and is known for her warm smile and 
generous heart to all of those people she has touched.
  Roland and Claire have strengthened their family with pride, 
dedication, and love, always first. The Jutras' four daughters have 
earned as much community recognition as their parents. Christine and 
Michelle are seniors at Norwich University, Veronica will be a 
sophomore at Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, in the fall, while Natalie 
will be a junior at St. Anselem College in Manchester, NH.
  The National Parents' Day Foundation was founded in 1994 after 
President Bill Clinton signed into law the creation of National Parents 
Day on the fourth Sunday of July each year. Every year the foundation 
looks for parents who are intact married couples with children, people 
of good reputation, couples who mirror in their lives behavior the 
ideals we want to see replicated, and people with strong religiously 
based moral values.
  Roland and Claire will join 13 other U.S. couples who were finalists 
for the award this week in a reception here on Capitol Hill. Mr. 
President, on Wednesday evening, I look forward to meeting the Jutrases 
here in a reception to honor this wonderful Granite State couple.
  Roland and Claire represent the very best in parenting and embody the 
finest in sacrificial and caring love for children. New Hampshire is 
fortunate to be blessed by their leadership and dedication. I applaud 
Roland and Claire Jutras for their outstanding and caring spirit for 
their community and family. I am proud to represent them in the U.S. 
Senate. Congratulations Roland and Claire. 

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