[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 102 (Friday, June 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H7002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           DEDICATION OF VILLAGE HOMES OF WAYZATA, MINNESOTA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is a special day in our community 
of Minnesota. Tomorrow is the day we welcome four very special new 
families to our community. Tomorrow is the day we dedicate and cut the 
ribbon at Wayzata Village Homes, an affordable housing complex built by 
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.
  As we dedicate these beautiful new homes and welcome our new 
neighbors, I'm feeling deeply grateful to live in a community of 
compassionate, caring and committed people, people who care deeply 
about people suffering the ravages of poverty, homelessness and hunger, 
people who reach out to meet the housing needs of people in need, 
people like John and Nancy Berg.
  John and Nancy Berg started a family foundation several years ago to 
meet the affordable housing needs in our community and have contributed 
so generously time after time after time. People like Steve and Geri 
Bloomer, who donated the land for Wayzata Village Homes. People like 
Wayzata Mayor Andrew Humphrey, the members of the Wayzata City Council 
and the Wayzata Housing Authority, all of whom have a progressive, 
enlightened and generous approach to expanding access to affordable 
housing.
  I am also deeply grateful to all the sponsors, donors and other 
partners, as well as LaDonna Hoy, Jill Kohler and Kim Vohs, and all the 
staff and volunteers at Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners. 
Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners is truly the conscience of 
our community. I am also deeply grateful to Sue Haig, Tony Beckstrom, 
and all of those with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. Habitat is 
truly the conscience of our entire Nation in meeting the huge need for 
affordable housing in our country.
  In 1961, on the steps right here at the Capitol, in his celebrated 
inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy said: ``Here on Earth, 
God's work must truly be our own.'' In Wayzata, each of these wonderful 
people answered President Kennedy's call. They helped make Wayzata 
Village Homes a reality. They answered our community's call. And 
tomorrow we will celebrate this great affordable-housing success story.
  Tomorrow, we will celebrate four new families in our community and 
extend a special welcome to the proud new residents of Village Homes.
  Nobody will give a more special welcome than Rachel Poss. Rachel is a 
fifth grader at Birchview School in Plymouth. Rachel certainly touched 
my heart this week with her community service project, which was 
written up in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, of providing baskets of 
household items to the new families of Village Homes.
  Thank you, Rachel, and to all who made this Habitat project a 
reality. You showed us what public service is all about.

                          ____________________