[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNITION OF EXEMPLARY STUDENT VOLUNTEER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TIM JOHNSON

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 13, 2001

  Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate 
and honor a young Illinois student from my district who has achieved 
national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. 
Allison Harms of Bloomington has just been named one of my state's top 
honorees in the 2001 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an 
annual honor conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in 
each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
  Ms. Harms is being recognized for her creation of ``Sew On and Sew 
Forth,'' an organization that provides hand-sewn items such as quilts, 
teddy bears, pillows, and clothing to the sick and needy in her 
community.
  In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are 
less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that 
we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this citizen 
has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as 
individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the 
health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers 
like Ms. Harms are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our 
brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.
  The program that brought this young role model to our attention--the 
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by the Prudential 
Insurance Company of America in partnership with the National 
Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress upon all 
youth volunteers that their contributions are critically important and 
highly valued, and to inspire other young people to follow their 
example. Over the past 6 years, the program has become the nation's 
largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, 
with nearly 100,000 youngsters participating since its inception.
  Ms. Harms should be extremely proud to have been singled out from 
such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Allison 
Harms for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better 
place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of 
others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment 
that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere 
admiration and respect. Her actions show that young Americans can--and 
do--play important roles in our communities, and that America's 
community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future.

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