[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 29, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E105-E106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND SOCCER RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2003

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I am submitting to the House a 
resolution congratulating the University of Portland Women's soccer 
team on their winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association 
(NCAA) Division I Championship. This title marks the first national 
championship in any sport for the University of Portland.
  The championship game between Portland and reigning 2001 champion 
Santa Clara was hard fought, going down to a rare double-overtime. The 
victory by the Pilots brought their season record to 20-4-1 to tie the 
school record for wins in a season. The team's performance garnered 
other records as well; Christine Sinclair set an NCAA tournament record 
with 21 points on 10 goals and one assist, shattering Mia Hamm's 1993 
record of 16; Goalkeeper Lauren Arase set a record for goals-against 
average, allowing just one goal in 6 games.
  I want to commend the coaches at the University of Portland for their 
hard work and dedication to helping these young women grow and 
ultimately bring national recognition to their school and our state. 
Head Coach Clive Charles, Assistant Coaches Bill Irwin, Garrett Smith, 
Nyla Stuckey, Trevor Warren and Wynne McIntosh all deserve recognition 
for the work that they have done developing an outstanding collegiate 
sports program.
  Coach Charles has built an impressive record over the 14 years that 
he has coached women's soccer at the University of Portland. 
Collectively, his men's and women's teams have won 12 conference 
championships, losing only 31 league games, and earned 16 NCAA playoff 
berths, including seven Final Four appearances, in a combined 27 
seasons. Twenty-five Pilots have earned All-America status during 
Charles' tenure. Early in the 1998 season, Charles won his 300th career 
college game. The Portland men and women won on the same day, making 
him just the 11th coach in NCAA soccer history to amass 300 wins.
  I am honored to represent many of these individuals in Congress and 
proud to have the University in my district. This resolution is a 
fitting tribute to the accomplishments of the coaches, players, and the 
University of Portland.

                        TRIBUTE TO MELINDA OHLER

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 29, 2003

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today 
to pay tribute to Melinda ``Mindy'' Ohler, a brave woman and true 
trailblazer of the San Francisco Fire Department. Mindy's passing, 
which occurred while responding to a fire alarm at San Francisco 
International Airport, unfortunately marked the first death of a female 
San Francisco firefighter in the line of duty.
   When Mindy joined the San Francisco Fire Department in 1989, she was 
one of the first women to become a firefighter in the department's 
history. In the 13 years since her enlistment, the number of women 
firefighters in San Francisco has risen to an impressive 235 (12 
percent of the force). This increase is in no small part due to Mindy, 
whose hard work and total dedication to her duties changed the minds of 
many who had originally opposed the idea of women firefighters. Her 
inspirational power was ably summed up by one of her colleagues at her 
memorial service who said, ``Frankly, I was against women joining the 
department, but her willingness to do the job showed me women had a 
place here.''
   John Hanley, President of Fire Fighters Local 798, expressed praise 
for Mindy and characterized her performance as a firefighter as bold 
and versatile; she was able to handle the challenges she faced with 
courage, he said, whether it was a small fire or five-alarm 
conflagration. In addition, Mindy's lighter side--she was a noted 
prankster--was credited with lifting spirits around the firehouse.
   A tireless worker who once held down six jobs at one time, Mindy, 
46, was still working two other jobs in addition to her primary one as 
a firefighter at the time of her death.
   In the spirit of solidarity with Mindy, over 3,000 people from 
around the country--including many fellow firefighters and law-
enforcement officers--came to St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco to 
pay tribute to Mindy.

[[Page E106]]

   In addition, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce that Mindy's name 
and contributions will be honored forever. Her name will join the names 
of other men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty as 
firefighters at the National Fallen Firefighters' Memorial's Roll of 
Honor. The memorial, located in Emmitsburg, Md., was designated by 
Congress as the official, national memorial to fallen firefighters, and 
it will be further sanctified by the addition of Mindy's name.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and 
mourning the loss of Melinda Ohler for her sacrifice and contributions 
to the people of San Francisco. She will be sorely missed on the 
Peninsula, in her birthplace of Valparaiso, Ind., and in the hearts of 
many across this nation who had the privilege of knowing her. To know 
her was to admire her; her legacy will be one of compassion, 
selflessness, and a commitment to being all she could be.

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