[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1653]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE NOVATO YOUTH CENTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Novato Youth 
Center, which is commemorating 30 years of community service to the 
children, youth and families of Novato, California.
  In response to the need for a safe and nurturing environment for 
children, parents and community leaders launched an energetic 
grassroots effort to establish the Novato Youth Center in 1976. Now, 30 
years later, the Youth Center provides a safe and caring home away from 
home while responding to ever changing community needs. Serving 
children, infants through 18 years, the Youth Center offers childcare 
and recreational activities, as well as teen pregnancy prevention 
programs, tutoring, family counseling, and Parent Project workshops. 
Youth serve in many positions, and are involved as program volunteers, 
sports coaches, event planners, and as full voting members on the board 
of directors.
  Through advocacy and outreach, Novato Youth Center's mission is to 
increase the community's investment in its youth, and to nurture and 
encourage youth to realize their potential for growth and personal 
development. The founding parents and Board Members were an ideal match 
for this mission. Honorary Board Members include: Robert Busher, Tommie 
Whitener, Steve Rempe, Peter E. Haas, Jr., David Kenyon, Dennis 
DeSousa, Alan Dunham, Ed Lathrop, Vicki McDill, Dave Milano, and Paul 
Scheller.
  Over the years Novato Youth Center grew steadily, developing 
successful collaborations with Novato Unified School District, the City 
of Novato, the County of Marin, Novato Community Hospital, and other 
local youth service and childcare providers. Providing strong community 
leadership, the Youth Center played a key role in starting the Novato 
Youth Wellness Collaborative, also serving as its fiscal agent. As a 
result, the Novato Wellness Center will open soon, offering health 
education, teen pregnancy counseling, substance abuse prevention, 
mental health services, and a health clinic devoted to teens.
  Collaborative and inclusive in philosophy, the Youth Center is 
committed to serving youth across ethnicities, economic levels, age 
groups, social and educational levels. To that end, the Youth Center 
champions respect and diversity, recruiting and hiring bicultural and 
bilingual staff to ensure the full spectrum of needs and interests of 
all communities are met.
  Mr. Speaker, Novato Youth Center provides an invaluable role in 
preparing our youth for the challenges of the future as well as 
instilling the values of community involvement and education. I am 
proud to honor the Novato Youth Center on this memorable occasion.

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