[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 191 (Thursday, December 13, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2567-E2568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      VETERANS FOOD DRIVE TRIBUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 13, 2007

  Mr. STUPAK. Madam Speaker, with the holiday season upon us, it is 
more important than ever that all of us take a moment to honor the 
service and sacrifice of our brave men and women deployed abroad. With 
that in mind, I ask that all of my colleagues join me in celebrating 
the 20th anniversary of the Veterans Food Drive in Delta County, 
Michigan.
  The Veterans Food Drive has provided holiday food baskets to local 
veterans, their families, and widows over the last two decades. Gary 
Bjorkquist first undertook this generous project in 1987 when he served 
as a Local Veterans Employment Representative. He was joined in this 
venture by his friend Richard Kryza, then a Disabled Veterans Outreach 
Worker for the State of Michigan.
  As veterans outreach workers, these two distinguished men saw that 
some local veterans needed additional help during the holiday season to 
make ends meet. Seeing some veterans struggle, Mr. Bjorkquist and Mr. 
Kryza organized a Veterans Food Drive.
  As Gary Bjorkquist explains it, the Veterans Food Drive is not 
charity it simply provides veterans with a helping hand ``from one 
friend to another.'' This program embodies the spirit of the holiday 
season: giving your time and resources to those who are in need.
  My district is home to more veterans than any other Congressional 
District in Michigan. As such, the annual Veterans Food Drive has been 
very important to many of my constituents in Delta County.
  During the first year of the food drive, Mr. Bjorkquist hoped to 
distribute 50 holiday food baskets. Not surprisingly, the first 
Veterans Food Drive reached that goal. As the years have passed, the 
Veterans Food Drive now distributes more than 100 baskets a year.
  The generosity of local community members who provide cash donations 
for the holiday food baskets make the Veterans Food Drive a reality. 
Gary Bjorkquist collects donations all year round from employers, 
organizations, and community members. Some have given every year! Local 
veterans' organizations, including the Disabled American Veterans of 
Delta County, the American Legion of Rapid River, and the Vietnam 
Veterans Chapter 571, have been very supportive of the Veterans Food 
Drive.
  Each year, Elmer's County Market in Escanaba arranges the holiday 
baskets. These baskets include enough food for a family of four to have 
two complete meals during the holiday season.
  Something that started as a small gesture for our veterans has now 
turned into a community affair. Every year, more volunteers come out to 
help their fellow neighbors and join those who have been making 
deliveries since 1987. I had the pleasure of taking part in the 
Veterans Food Drive last year. If I have a break in the Congressional 
schedule, I will join in delivering veteran holiday food baskets again 
this year!
  Gary Bjorkquist works diligently to ensure that as many veterans and 
families as possible are given a food basket through the Veterans Food 
Drive. If a veteran is already receiving a holiday basket from a 
different organization, the food basket is saved for another veteran in 
need.
  Any remaining baskets are given to families in the community who are 
in need of help, through the local Salvation Army and Society of St. 
Vincent DePaul. And if there are left-over donations, they too go right 
back into the community. Last year, Mr. Bjorkquist gave donations to 
the Society of St. Vincent DePaul councils in Gladstone and Escanaba as 
well as the Menominee-Delta-Schoolcraft Community Action Agency's Walk 
for Warmth program.
  In honor of the 20th anniversary, many of the volunteers who 
participated in the first Veteran Food Drive will be back in Escanaba 
to help Gary Bjorkquist mark this tremendous

[[Page E2568]]

achievement. Mr. Kryza, who is now the Michigan State Veterans 
Director, will also be on hand to celebrate this occasion and spread 
the holiday cheer.
  I would like to recognize Gary Bjorkquist for his vision and his 
tenacity in keeping the Veterans Food Drive alive and running all these 
years. As old and new volunteers gather on December 14, 2007 for the 
20th anniversary Veteran Food Drive, I salute the great number of 
individuals who volunteer their time going door to door with holiday 
baskets in hand as well as those who have graciously donated to the 
Veterans Food Drive each year.
  The duty, honor, and commitment these volunteers show to those who 
have sacrificed for our country are just a few of the values that make 
this Veterans Food Drive special.
  Madam Speaker, as we honor our brave fighting men and women serving 
around the world and especially in Iraq and Afghanistan this holiday 
season, it is important that we care for their families. In that 
spirit, for 20 years, the Veterans Food Drive has truly provided a 
helping hand to those who have served our country. Given the unique 
spirit of volunteerism and community service exhibited by Gary 
Bjorkquist and the local community, I know we can expect the Veterans 
Food Drive to be serving today's soldiers, when they are tomorrow's 
veterans, 20 years from now.
  Madam Speaker, I close by asking that you and the U.S. House of 
Representatives join me in paying tribute to the Veterans Food Drive, 
Gary Bjorkquist, and all the volunteers and contributors who are truly 
serving those who have served all of us. In this time of conflict, it 
is more vital than ever that we retain those values of volunteerism, 
duty, honor, and commitment--values that the Veterans Food Drive truly 
exemplifies.

                          ____________________