[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 146 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING TALA De WYNTER FOR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NAPA 
                            VALLEY COMMUNITY

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 15, 2008

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Tala 
De Wynter, who has been a pioneer in the Napa County community and is 
being honored today at the Napa County Hispanic Network 25th 
Anniversary Gala.
  De Wynter was born and educated in Lima, Peru. She has resided in 
Napa since 1965 with her husband and two children. Since coming to 
Napa, De Wynter has invested her time in helping others, in creating 
opportunities and bridging the communication gap in the Latino 
community. In the 1970s, the Napa Valley was in need of inexpensive 
healthcare for farm workers and the low-income community. De Wynter, 
along with other community members established Community Health Clinic 
Ole. What started off as a small clinic in Rutherford has generated six 
sites, with six full-time doctors, 10 mid-level providers, and this 
year it received 1.3 million dollars from Auction Napa Valley.
  Continuing the tradition of providing for others, she served as the 
director of El Centro de Informacion (The Center for Information). The 
Centro was viewed as a controversial organization for providing 
services exclusively to the Spanish speaking community. De Wynter and 
other Latino activists also realized the need to support young Latinos 
in their quest for higher education, and in 1984 they founded the Napa 
County Hispanic Network. The Hispanic Network is celebrating its 25th 
anniversary this year, and will award 25 high school and college 
students with a $1,000 scholarship.
  De Wynter also started the first immigration consulting business in 
Napa. She was also the coeditor of Noticias Bilingues del Valle, the 
Spanish section of the Napa Valley Register and served as the editor of 
the Spanish language newspaper, Tiempo Latino. De Wynter was also the 
first Latina woman to be elected to public office in Napa County when 
she was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Napa Valley Unified 
School District in 1975.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, Tala De Wynter has earned the respect 
of her colleagues and community. Through visionary leadership and 
persuasion Tala De Wynter has created pathways for other leaders in the 
community to follow. For these reasons and for the lasting impact 
Community Health Clinic Ole and the Napa County Hispanic Network 
continue to have in Napa County, it is appropriate that we honor Tala 
De Wynter.

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