[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 141 (Monday, September 8, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNUAL DICK LUGAR FITNESS FESTIVAL

  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I appreciate this opportunity to share my 
gratitude for the remarkable work of the students and staff at 
Indianapolis's Butler University over our 30-year partnership in 
encouraging fitness and health awareness in central Indiana.
  This Saturday, September 13, 2008, I will have the privilege of 
joining my friends and fellow Hoosiers at the 30th Annual Dick Lugar 
Community Walk, Run and Health Fair, held on the attractive grounds of 
Butler University. This festival was inaugurated in May of 1979 in 
order to highlight the positive benefits of fitness and nutrition to 
members of the local community. From the very beginning, this 
initiative was designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of people. Youth 
and families were encouraged to participate in an effort to reach out 
beyond the normal universe of running enthusiasts and to capitalize on 
those who could serve as a model for young people. With the inclusion 
of the health fair our partnership strove to engage older adults as 
well. And in 1983, the festivities began to include a Health and 
Fitness Award, given in recognition of individuals and organizations 
that have made exemplary contributions to the community in these 
important areas.
  The Fitness Festival remains an event I look forward to with 
excitement each year. The running and race-walk competitions, the 
health fair with local experts and organizations in attendance, and the 
general fellowship all promise to be especially memorable in this 
signal year. Accordingly, I would like to take special care in 
highlighting those most responsible for the festival's perennial 
success.
  Butler University and its dedicated president, Dr. Bobby Fong, 
deserve considerable praise. The university's eagerness to not only 
host, but embrace this opportunity to promote the benefits of a fit and 
healthy lifestyle reminds me of why Hoosiers are so proud of our 
colleges and universities' roles in improving the quality of life for 
individuals throughout Indiana. Thanks must also be given to the Butler 
students and faculty, and the community members who volunteer as 
organizers and race workers; the individuals who devote their 
experience and expertise at the health fair booths; the city of 
Indianapolis and Marion County for logistical support; other supporting 
organizations, whose generosity and commitment to health awareness in 
the Indianapolis community is highly commendable; and the thousands of 
individuals who have participated in the Fitness Festival over the 
course of its life.
  It is important that as citizens we do what we can at the Federal, 
State, and community levels to promote the benefits of leading healthy 
lifestyles. This auspicious occasion provides a wonderful opportunity 
to commend Butler University for its efforts in this regard.

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