[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO NORMA KNUDSEN

  (Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KENNEDY of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
a very special person, Norma Knudsen. Although she is one of the oldest 
members of the Spicer, Minnesota, Sunrise Lions Club at age 86, Norma 
continues to be one of their most active and devoted volunteers.
  Norma has been a leader in efforts to restore and preserve the gift 
of sight by volunteering at various charity events like baseball games, 
barbecues and fish fries to benefit the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, one 
of the most successful eye banks in the country. While this is laudable 
itself, it is even more remarkable when you consider that Norma suffers 
from macular degeneration, a devastating eye disease that has left her 
almost totally blind.
  Because of her selfless efforts and the outstanding example she has 
been for the rest of us, Norma was recently presented the Helen Keller 
Award by the Spicer Sunrise Lions Club. There is no more deserving 
person for this award than Norma Knudsen. With her long track record of 
volunteerism, Norma has more than met Helen Keller's challenge to be a 
``knight of the blind in the crusade against darkness.''
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the fine efforts of Norma Knudsen to help 
bring sight to many who would have been left in the darkness.




                          ____________________