[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH GHELETA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2006

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Elizabeth 
Gheleta on her tireless devotion to assisting jail inmates and their 
families in San Mateo County, located in my Congressional District. For 
38 years, and for the past 28 years as Executive Director of the San 
Mateo Service League, Ms. Gheleta has committed herself to ensuring 
that San Mateo County provide opportunities for positive change to 
county jail inmates, former inmates and their families. Under her 
direction, the Service League has made San Mateo County a safer place 
to live by offering inmates the skills and support necessary to 
successfully reintegrate into the community.
  Over the years, Ms. Gheleta has built the San Mateo Service League 
into a well-established, non-profit community organization with 25 
staff members and over 500 volunteers. Equally important has been her 
effectiveness in winning the trust and support of the San Mateo County 
Sheriff's Office, which has cooperated and helped finance many of the 
Service League's innovative programs. Among these are the Windows of 
Opportunity to find effective alternatives to incarceration, Hope 
Houses and Project Hope for alcohol and drug treatment, and the 
Children's Waiting Room at the County Jail. With the support of San 
Mateo County Sheriff Don Horsley, the Service League has promoted the 
expansion of in-jail services, including education, religious services, 
substance abuse counseling, and re-entry to society life skills. Ms. 
Gheleta and her staff also developed four residential facilities for 
former inmates and started programs to assist the children and families 
of inmates.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in thanking Elizabeth 
Gheleta for her contribution to the improvement of our community in San 
Mateo County. Ms. Gheleta's vision and dogged determination has 
resulted in model programs that have addressed important social issues 
such as chemical dependency, personal responsibility, education, 
permanent housing and family life skills. The reality of this vision 
has truly given hundreds of former inmates and their families a second 
chance in life. I am truly delighted and inspired by Ms. Gheleta's 
commitment to our community.