[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 146 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO FRANCES LANDERS

 Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, it is with great honor that I would 
like to recognize remarkable contributions of 91-year-old Frances 
Landers of El Dorado, AR. At a time when most people consider 
retirement, Frances dedicated the past 30 years of her life to making 
education accessible to the children of Haiti. Through her selfless 
years of service, Frances' work and formation of the Haiti Education 
Foundation have opened educational doors of opportunity for hundreds of 
children who otherwise might never have learned to read.
  Frances visited Haiti this past April to say her goodbyes, for this 
was most likely her last visit. She first came to Haiti in 1977 as a 
medical volunteer with her late husband Dr. Gardner Landers, an 
ophthalmologist, to help people with cataract problems. Dr. and Mrs. 
Landers began making two trips a year, providing surgery and eyeglasses 
to the Haitian people. During these visits, she met Father Jean-Wilfrid 
Albert, a chaplain of the mission hospital. Through Father Albert and 
her numerous mission trips, Frances discovered that many villages had 
no school and most citizens were illiterate. Impassioned to make a 
difference, Frances returned to Arkansas and began raising money. 
Through her dedication, perseverance and conviction, she soon launched 
one school, and over time, many others followed.
  Because of her establishment of the Haiti Education Foundation, there 
are now 40 primary schools and 10 secondary schools, which are 
currently educating more than 11,000 Haitian children. Through 
donations and scholarships, the foundation provides schooling, hot 
lunches, shoes, school uniforms, textbooks, Creole bibles, milk, and 
goats for families. These schools set the foundation for students to 
enroll in universities and pursue careers that allow them to break past 
poverty barriers.
  Ms. Landers continues to raise awareness and funding to ensure the 
foundation's success. She has lived in service to the people of Haiti 
and is an extraordinary example of what can be achieved when committed 
to a worthwhile endeavor. Today, I honor and thank Frances Landers for 
her continual interest in others and inspiring those around her to do 
the same.

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