[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF PAT LOOMES' TENURE AS EXECUTIVE 
                DIRECTOR OF GIRLS INC. OF ALAMEDA COUNTY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 25, 2003

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pat Loomes, Executive 
Director of Girls Incorporated of Alameda County. Pat has selflessly 
dedicated her life to inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold.
  Pat grew up in Ireland and immigrated to the United States with 
education and activism as her primary goals. After earning a graduate 
degree she began working at the Berkeley Women's Center in the early 
1970s. There she identified the immense need for preventive measures 
for women who had suffered life-long abuse and low self-esteem, and who 
possessed very few skills that could translate into employment or self-
improvement.
  It was at this time that Pat accepted the position as Executive 
Director at a small organization for girls with the passion and 
foresight that produced the thriving social service agency that Girls 
Inc. of Alameda County is today.
  For the past 25 years, Pat has been instrumental in the financial 
growth of the organization. Under her direction, operations grew to 
over $3 million, and today the organization serves thousands of girls. 
Girls Inc. has expanded from a small tutoring and recreational club to 
offering girls more than 10 acclaimed programs ranging from science, 
math and technology enrichment to leadership and fitness as well as 
comprehensive mental health services.
  During her tenure as Executive Director of Girls Inc., Pat has been 
ahead of her time in confronting girls' most sensitive needs with 
conviction and grace. In 1989, when funding cuts discontinued a local 
program for pregnant teens and teen parents, Girls Inc. began to 
support services for this population. Pat also oversaw the 
implementation of the award-winning national program, Preventing 
Adolescent Pregnancy. Since that time, Girls Inc.'s health and 
sexuality programming has expanded to include services to school-age 
mothers, pregnant and parenting girls involved in the juvenile justice 
system, as well as providing reproductive health education in schools 
from Berkeley to Union City.
  Pat's hard work and devotion have not gone unrecognized. In 1986 and 
again in 2000, the United Way awarded Pat the Seaton Manning 
Outstanding Professional Award for her ``visionary leadership and 
tireless advocacy for girls.'' The Wells Fargo Foundation and the 
Management Center of San Francisco also honored her with the 2001 
Navigator Award for Model Leadership.
  Pat served as a member of the National Girls Incorporated Board of 
Directors for 13 years. In 1995 she delivered a seminar on math and 
science for girls at the International Women's Conference in Beijing, 
China. Her advocacy skills were well utilized in these arenas of 
national and international policymaking.
  I am honored to join the colleagues of Pat Loomes in commending her 
25 years of tireless commitment to empowering girls. Pat has made it a 
personal and professional mission to strike a balance between her 
ideology and direct service to her community. She has been not only the 
driving force behind the success of Girls Incorporated of Alameda 
County for 25 years, but a crucial advocate for girls around the globe 
as well.

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