[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 80 (Thursday, May 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E946]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING 11 OUTSTANDING BROWARD COUNTY CITIZENS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ROBERT WEXLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 15, 2008

  Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, today in Tamarac, Florida, 11 outstanding 
Broward elders will be honored at the Annual Senior Hall of Fame 
Breakfast. These 11 seniors being honored have volunteered in their 
communities and have spent countless hours helping others. Their 
outstanding character and compassion have truly set them apart. Those 
being honored are George Bisbikos, Mary Jane Bowen Graff, Sidney 
Feinberg, Edith Gooden-Thompson, Velma Hawthorne, Reverend Grant Lynn 
Ford, Dr. Henry ``Hank'' Mack, Marilyn Manning, Paul B. Snow, Lesley 
Tobin, and Polly Wilkie.
  George Bisbikos of Sunrise, president/executive director of the 
Learning Center for Vision Impaired Seniors, LCVIS, has been 
volunteering with the vision impaired for many years. Legally blind 
himself, George has led a health and finance class at the Lighthouse of 
Broward County for the blind and vision impaired, and works 
relentlessly to enable the blind and partially sighted in our community 
to participate in activities that sighted people take for granted.
  Mary Jane Bowen Graff of Fort Lauderdale is the epitome of a 
volunteer and has been awarded for the over 4,000 hours of her time she 
has donated to Holy Cross Hospital Auxiliary. An energetic, motivated, 
and goal/task oriented person, Mary Jane has also been an active member 
in Kiwanis International, serving as president of her local chapter in 
2006-07; and, Mary Jane currently serves as director of the city of 
Fort Lauderdale's Historic Preservation Advisory Board and board member 
of the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art.
  Sidney Feinberg of Deerfield Beach was integral in the building of 
Broward Homebound Program, Inc., in Century Village Deerfield Beach, 
submitting the grant proposal to the Florida Legislature in 1986 and 
being awarded a 1-year pilot project in 1986. Broward Homebound 
Program, Inc., has functioned independently since 1987. Sidney has also 
served as president of Young Israel in Deerfield Beach, Flatbush, and 
Jamaica Estates, and is president of the Coalition for Century Village 
East and is one of the founders of the National Association of Jewish 
Homes for the Aged, among many other leadership positions.
  Edith Gooden-Thompson of Plantation is the daughter of Reverend James 
Gooden and Evelyn Smith Gooden, both honored as members of the Broward 
Senior Hall of Fame in 2006 and 1991, respectively. Edith has been 
volunteering her time with numerous schools and community committees 
for over 40 years, and is currently serving the Aging & Disability 
Resource Center as the SHINE, Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, 
volunteer coordinator. In this role, Edith guides more than 25 
volunteers committed to providing services to Medicare customers, their 
families, and caregivers. She also volunteers with Friends of the 
African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, Florida 
Leaders.net, and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, among many 
other organizations.
  Velma Hawthorne of Fort Lauderdale is a Foster Grandparent volunteer, 
having raised three of her niece's children and two grandchildren in 
addition to her three children. She continues to help elementary 
children learn how to read, mentors Girl Scouts, and assists the 
Broward County Library with after-school programs. During the summer, 
Velma also volunteers at Kids In Distress, and she enjoys teaching 
Sunday School and singing in the choir at Evergreen Baptist Church.
  Reverend Grant Lynn Ford, Senior Bishop of the Sunshine Cathedral in 
Fort Lauderdale, has been providing dynamic and inspirational 
leadership for his congregation and multitudes of organizations, 
agencies and groups for nearly two decades. Reverend Ford was key in 
the establishment and continuum of the Noble A. McArtor Adult Day Care 
Center, the first such program primarily designed for the needs of 
Broward gay and lesbian elders, and continues to serve the needs of the 
diverse cross sections of Broward communities through innovative 
programs, services and projects.

  Dr. Henry ``Hank'' Mack of Lauderhill has the distinction of being 
one of the few living Buffalo Soldiers of the United States Calvary. A 
renowned civil rights fighter and past member of the executive 
committee of the Fort Lauderdale NAACP, Dr. Mack has the distinction of 
having stood with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he made his ``I Have 
A Dream'' speech, and he continues to be active in opening doors for 
minority firms in Broward County. Dr. Mack has also been recognized 
numerous times for his volunteer efforts and serves on a number of 
public safety and education councils and committees in Broward County.
  Marilyn Manning of Tamarac has spent the past 8 years donating her 
time and talents at Florida Atlantic University's Lifelong Learning 
Program, helping with registration and greeting students. She also 
volunteers at the Daniel Cantor Senior Center in Tamarac, working in 
the thrift store and assisting in the day care. Additionally, she lends 
a hand mentoring elementary students with behavioral issues and has 
helped wounded troops recuperating in Germany through her assistance to 
the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.
  Paul B. Snow of Hallandale Beach has volunteered his life following 
retirement to volunteering for the poor, elderly, homeless and disabled 
in south Florida, joining the Hallandale Food Pantry in 1991 and later 
becoming Director. In that time, the Pantry has expanded from helping 
11 families in his first week to more than 7,500 families in 2007. The 
Pantry also assists the elderly with completing critical benefit 
paperwork, offers after-school community credits to students wishing to 
attend college, and takes over 450 inner city youth to professional 
sporting events.
  Lesley Sobel of Margate, along with her husband Jack, recognized the 
need in the community for a center to aid families caring for someone 
with alzheimer's disease and founded the Alzheimer's Family Center to 
fill that need. Lesley served as president of the agency's board of 
directors for 10 years and has devoted a tremendous amount of time and 
energy to the center, as she was instrumental in the development of 
fundraisers which have been held annually for over two decades now. 
Lesley also serves on the Boards of God's Little Acre, Senior Volunteer 
Services, and is active with the Margate Chamber of Commerce.
  Polly Wilkie of Pembroke Pines is a veteran volunteer, possessing 
both fundraising acumen and the passion to roll up her sleeves and 
work. Founder and current president of New Prestige Clubs, Polly has 
worked to improve the lives of children and homeless women throughout 
Florida. She has recruited others and inspired them to establish 
Prestige chapters elsewhere in Florida and in Atlanta, Georgia, and 
hosts networking breakfasts for business people and inspires them to 
volunteer. Polly is a board member of the Light of the World Clinic, 
the Ease Foundation Pantry, the James Jr. Fund, the Boys & Girls Club, 
and Crime Stoppers, and has served as commissioner for Volunteer 
Florida.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to again congratulate these 11 
outstanding Broward County citizens who are being honored at the Annual 
Senior Hall of Fame, and thank them for their years of service to their 
fellow Floridians.

                          ____________________