[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 81 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN HONOR OF ANDERSON COUNTY, AN ALL-AMERICA COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDSEY O. GRAHAM

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 23, 2000

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
honor Anderson County, South Carolina, a recipient of the 2000 All-
America City Award, a distinction that recognizes communities whose 
citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges 
and achieve uncommon results. This award recognizes communities where 
true American spirit is hard at work, where safety and quality of life 
are priorities. The community of Anderson County exemplifies all of 
these characteristics.
  The All-America City Award program was founded in 1949, and is one of 
our country's oldest and most respected community recognition award 
programs. Only ten communities in the United States are chosen each 
year for this prestigious award. Anderson County is one of those 
communities, and has done much to improve the lives of the people who 
reside there.
  Some examples of how the citizens of Anderson County work together to 
better their community are through the Hanna-Westside Extension Campus, 
the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center, the Alliance for a 
Healthy Future campaign, Anderson Area YMCA, the Anderson Free Clinic, 
the Westside Community Center, Partners for a Healthy Community and 
AnMed Healthy Futures Trust. These organizations have all made dramatic 
and innovative improvements in the lives of the people of Anderson 
County.
  In particular, Anderson County's Hanna-Westside Extension Campus was 
created to improve the learning environment and education at an inner-
city high school. This initiative transformed the high school into a 
career and technology center where students learn to be successful in 
the work place.
  The Alliance for a Healthy Future campaign also worked to raise $12 
million for six organizations and helped build the state's first 
residential home for the terminally ill, transformed an abandoned 
elementary school into a community center, expanded medical services 
for the poor and made a new YMCA complex a reality.
  Anderson County is one of only two communities from the Southeast to 
win this prestigious award this year. The recipients of this award are 
the communities that represent the ``backbone of America'', and are 
great examples of success. Anderson County, as well as the other 
winning communities, shows how citizens, government, businesses and 
nonprofit organizations can join together to address their local issues 
and achieve unparalleled results.
  The community of Anderson County has made an invaluable contribution 
to development in the state of South Carolina and the United States as 
a whole. I am proud to honor Anderson's achievement as a 2000 All-
America City and wish them continued success and prosperity.

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