[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 7, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO SHELBY CRAWFORD OF EUREKA SPRINGS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN BOOZMAN

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 2003

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a 
young Arkansas student from my district who has achieved national 
recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Shelby 
Crawford of Eureka Springs has just been named one of the top youth 
volunteers by The 2003 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. Crawford is being recognized for organizing a petting zoo event 
that raised more than $1000 for a local horse rescue center.
  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 young 
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. Crawford 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 Prudential 
Financial 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 eight 
years, the program has become the Nation's largest youth recognition 
effort based solely on community service, with nearly 150,000 
youngsters participating since its inception.
  Ms. Crawford should be extremely proud to have been singled out from 
such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Ms. 
Crawford 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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