[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E559-E560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING MS. MITZI STITES OF SPRINGFIELD, TN, ON THE OCCASION OF HER 
RETIREMENT AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ROBERTSON COUNTY CHILD ADVOCACY 
                                 CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 13, 2000

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, today I honor Ms. Mitzi Stites of 
Springfield, TN, on the occasion of her retirement as Executive 
Director of the Robertson County Child Advocacy Center and her tireless 
efforts on behalf of Tennessee's children.
  Ms. Stites was named the first and only Executive Director of the 
Robertson County Child Advocacy Center in Springfield in 1993. Mitzi 
immediately put her energy to work for the

[[Page E560]]

children in the area, educating the community about the advocacy center 
and organizing area agencies who began working and meeting together on 
a regular basis as a result of her tireless efforts.
  Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the Nation are child-
focused, facility-based programs in which representatives from many 
disciplines meet to discuss and make decisions about investigation, 
treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. They also work to 
prevent further victimization of children. This approach brings 
together a comprehensive group of agencies such as law enforcement, 
child protective services, prosecution, mental health and the medical 
community. It is an approach that truly puts the needs of the child 
victims first.
  It takes a very unique individual to facilitate communications and 
meetings between these many agencies. Mitzi Stites initiated this plan 
in Robertson County in 1993 and since that time has seen great success. 
She has shown foresight and leadership not only in the day-to-day 
operations of the facility, but by pioneering a number of community 
efforts on behalf of children.
  These include the Blue Ribbon Campaign in honor of April as Child 
Abuse Awareness Month, which Mitzi successfully launched in 1994 in 
Robertson County; the Teddy Bears for court program for child victims; 
the annual drive for backpacks filled with school supplies and 
toiletries for at risk, low-income, and children of victimization; and 
``snuggables'' given to victims by the CAC, local enforcement, and the 
Department of Children's Services (DCS). She also annually organized 
``angels'' to anonymously sponsor abused children and their families 
each Christmas. She has worked closely with Sharon Puckett of WSMV-TV 
in Nashville to provide hundreds of stuffed animals to needy children 
in our area. These stuffed animals were often donated quietly by 
Nashville's wealth of country music stars.
  In addition, Mitzi Stites has been involved in numerous community and 
civic activities, serving as the Secretary for the Robertson County 
Coalition for several years, as well as many other organizations.
  Prior to being named Executive Director for the Robertson County 
Children's Advocacy Center, Stites worked briefly at the Robertson 
County Times newspaper from 1992-1993. However she spent most of her 
career in mortgage banking, first with Southeast Mortgage Company in 
Miami from 1963-1989 and then with the JT Brokers Group, Inc., in 
Jupiter, Florida from 1989-1991.
  Mitzi Stites often went above and beyond the call of duty, spending 
numerous hours fashioning the Robertson County Advocacy Center into a 
warm and homey atmosphere, rather than a sterile, office environment. 
The children who entered her doors often came in traumatized and 
fearful, but whether they were there for one visit or numerous visits, 
I assure you, they always left feeling loved.
  Because my Springfield Congressional office was housed next door to 
the Advocacy Center, I was able to get to know Mitzi both 
professionally and personally. I admire her character and zeal on 
behalf of the children in our community, who once abused or neglected, 
often have no voice. Mitzi Stites has been that voice heard loud and 
clear on behalf of these children.
  I wish the best for Ms. Stites on her retirement and in all of her 
future endeavors.

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