[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 145 (Friday, October 24, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11190-S11191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           AN EMMY FOR KEVIN WALLEVAND: LAND MINE DOCUMENTARY

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President. A bright young reporter, Kevin Wallevand, 
who covers news in Fargo, ND for WDAY television, has made my State, 
and me, awfully proud. Kevin's documentary, ``The Quilt: Hope from the 
Heartland,'' has been awarded an Emmy, television's highest award.
  In North Dakota, we have always known that Kevin is a talented 
reporter, writer, and producer. Now, his documentary about the dark 
side of human nature that allows exploding land mines to do the work of 
war; and the bright side of human kind, the compassion people show 
toward one another in the aftermath of war's tragedies, has earned him 
national acclaim.
  Kevin Wallevand has produced a moving story about a rural community 
where women create by hand a beautiful, colorful quilt in the hope that 
it will warm and cheer someone less fortunate than themselves. The 
resulting quilt begins its travels near the North Dakota border on the 
Buffalo River, and ends its journey along a river in Angola, Africa 
where a homeless family--bodies ravaged by exploding land mines--
clutches the quilt for warmth and safety.
  Sadly, we learn that the family's story is not an isolated one. Kevin 
takes us into the hospital beds of other villagers who have fallen 
victim to landmines--who are displaced and anticipating the help and 
the arrival of thousands of quilts, blankets and other donated items 
from American volunteers.
  Hundreds of churches, like the one in Kevin's story, and other 
humanitarian groups have taken it upon themselves to give a little 
comfort and a little hope to landmine victims. Now we, as a country, 
owe it to them to prevent this instrument of war, which targets 
innocent people long after the peace agreement has been signed, from 
ever being used again.
  Like Kevin, I have seen first hand the tragic human costs of 
landmines. While serving in the House of Representatives, I visited a 
clinic in Central America where landmine victims who had lost hope, 
along with a leg or an arm, were fitted for artificial limbs. I 
witnessed how important it was to support this program which could turn 
their lives around. When I returned, I worked to get funding so that 
other landmine victims might be able to get prosthetic limbs and I'm 
proud to say I helped get it done. Kevin must have

[[Page S11191]]

the same kind of satisfaction--because by showing others the horrors of 
this war against the innocent, he has struck a blow against the 
worldwide scourge of land mines. But more must be done.
  I commend Kevin Wallevand, and the others who worked on this story at 
WDAY, for bringing this tragedy to the attention of others. Landmines 
are a worldwide problem, but with a very simple solution. We must rid 
the world of landmines and promise future generations that this weapon 
of destruction will never be used again for warfare. In sharing this 
Emmy winning story, Kevin's work heightens our awareness of the problem 
and brings us a step closer to that ultimate goal. Congratulations to 
Kevin Wallevand. You make North Dakotans very proud.

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