[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 49 (Thursday, April 21, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E719-E720]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING EDWARD A. MITCHELL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 20, 2005

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise before you today to 
honor Edward A. Mitchell, of Flint, Michigan, my hometown. On 
Wednesday, April 20, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan will honor Mr. 
Mitchell's selfless contributions and dedication to improving the 
quality of life for thousands of residents of Genesee County.
  A native of Flint, Edward Mitchell graduated from Central High School 
in 1947, and later studied at Flint Junior College. At the age of 18, 
Ed began what became a 50-year career with the Flint Journal, starting 
out as an Ad Services employee. A year later, he became

[[Page E720]]

an Outside Sales Representative, and in 1958, he was promoted to 
Assistant Classified Advertising Manager. On April 9, 1984, Ed became 
Advertising Director for the Journal, and ultimately became Assistant 
to the Publisher, a position he held until his retirement.
  In addition to his tenure at the Flint Journal, Ed became a tireless 
advocate for civic pride and responsibility. He has been a vital part 
of more than 26 community organizations, including Big Brothers/Big 
Sisters and the United Way of Genesee County, among many others. He 
served on the Boards of such groups as Goodwill Industries and the 
Lions Club, and as Chair of four organizations including the Center 
City Club and the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.
  A member of the Food Bank's Board of Directors since 1991 and its 
Executive Committee since 1995, Ed has also acted as Nominating Chair 
from 1995-1997, and served on the Food Bank's Presidential Search 
Committee in 1994. Ed was elected Board Chairman in 1998, the position 
he holds to this day. During his time on the Board, the Food Bank has 
grown from distributing 2.6 million pounds of food in 1991 to 15.2 
million pounds in 2004, providing emergency food services to more than 
110,000 Genesee County residents, half of who are under the age of 17 
or over the age of 65. Under Ed's leadership, the Food Bank has 
received several awards, and has been a national model for similar 
programs. In 2002, America's Second Harvest recognized the Food Bank of 
Eastern Michigan as the nation's best.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with a tremendous amount of gratitude that I 
appear before you today to recognize my colleague, my constituent, and 
my friend, Edward Mitchell. For over 45 years, he has diligently worked 
to promote, protect, defend, and enhance human dignity, and he 
exemplifies the very best of what our society has to offer. I would 
also like to recognize Ed's wife Valia, their three daughters, and 
their seven grandchildren, and I ask my colleagues in the 109th 
Congress to join me in wishing them all the best of luck in all their 
future endeavors.

                          ____________________