[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 38 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE 2002 PASADENA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL AND THE LAWRENCE-
                       CEDARHURST FIRE DEPARTMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN BENTSEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2002

  Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Pasadena 
Strawberry Festival as it celebrates its 29th anniversary, kicking off 
this year's festival with an opening ceremony at the Pasadena 
Fairgrounds on May 17, 2002. The multi-cultural weekend event draws a 
crowd of more than 30,000 to enjoy the strawberries, entertainment, 
food, activities and fun.
  The Strawberry Festival began in 1974 when Helen Alexander, better 
known as Miss Helen, ``planted a seed'' to promote the grand opening of 
the new Pasadena Historical Museum. The seed Miss Helen planted grew 
into today's Pasadena Strawberry Festival, named to honor Pasadena's 
heritage as the Strawberry Capitol of the World.
  The Pasadena Strawberry Festival is a two-and-a-half day multi-
cultural event produced by hundreds of volunteers on the Pasadena 
Fairgrounds. Continuous live entertainment, arts and crafts, children's 
games, carnival rides, a fabulous variety of goods, special acts and 
demonstrations, and of course, ``Texas' Largest Strawberry Shortcake,'' 
are just a few of the Festival's features. Proceeds from the festival 
funds scholarships, books for college libraries, and community projects 
that preserve and promote the study of Texas history.
  This year the Pasadena Fire Department and the Pasadena Strawberry 
Festival have invited the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department from Long 
Island, New York, to participate in the Pasadena Strawberry Festival 
Parade on May 11, 2002. Lawrence-Cedarhurst and the Pasadena Volunteer 
Fire Department have become sister fire departments and Pasadena has 
traveled to New York on several occasions to participate in parades 
Lawrence-Cedarhurst has hosted. There will be approximately 23 
firefighters from Lawrence-Cedarhurst including the Chief, one 
Assistant Chief, four Commissioners and other officers and members. 
Lawrence Cedarhurst, the first volunteer fire department on the list to 
be called out for mutual aid to New York, has been to ground zero 
numerous times and aided in the plane crash on November 12, 2001 in 
Belle Harbor Queens on the Rockaway's Peninsula. Pasadena Police Chief 
Paul Cobb and Pasadena Fire Chief Jerry Gardner are Grand Marshals of 
the parade. The Honorary Grand Marshal of this year's parade will be 
one of Lawrence-Cedarhurst's members, Charles ``Monty'' Seaman. Monty 
is on the Advisory Board and has been a volunteer at the Pasadena 
Strawberry Festival for more than 10 years. He has been with the 
Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department for 43 years and has held a variety 
of positions, such as Chief, Assistant Chief, President of the Fire 
Department Benevolent Association and is presently Commissioner. Monty 
is the brother of Sharon Andreno, President of the Pasadena Strawberry 
Festival.
  Mr. Speaker, I am certain the 2002 Pasadena Strawberry Festival will 
be grand and exciting, while maintaining the warm, country charm of the 
original Festival. However, this year's festival of community takes on 
a new meaning after the tragic events of last year. The selfless acts 
of the firefighters in New York and around the nation remind 
communities everywhere of the unyielding commitment to the public good 
held by so many public servants throughout the country. I welcome the 
members of the Lawrence-Cedarhurst Fire Department to Pasadena and 
recognize and applaud these protectors of our neighborhoods for their 
work on our behalf.

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