[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 145 (Thursday, October 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF MARY'S PIZZA SHACK

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 2009

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my 
colleague, Lynn Woolsey, to recognize and honor Mary's Pizza Shack, 
which has been selected as the Business of the Year by the Sonoma 
Valley Chamber of Commerce.
  Not only is Mary's Pizza Shack being honored by the Chamber, but the 
restaurant chain is celebrating its 50th year anniversary as a mainstay 
in Sonoma Valley.
  Family matriarch, Mary Fazio, started the business in Boyes Hot 
Springs with a $700 investment and pots and pans from her own kitchen. 
Her dream was to have a warm, family-friendly place where people could 
enjoy hearty portions of her family's favorite foods at reasonable 
prices. It was clearly a recipe for success. Today there are 18 
``Shacks'' in seven counties in Northern California and this third 
generation-run family business is branching out this year with a new 
fast/casual restaurant concept to compliment to original Mary's Pizza 
Shacks.
  But Mary's is much more than a successful business model; it is an 
integral part of the fabric of the community.
  For generations, it is been the after-game destination for every 
sports team in the valley, young or old. Countless victories have been 
celebrated there and losses have been made a little more bearable with 
a pepperoni pizza or two.
  Since its inception, Mary's has given back to the community through 
its financial support of 50 community organizations each year, through 
its popular ``Dine and Donate'' nights, and its commitment to the 
valley's youth. As an employer, Mary's makes it a point to hire people 
with disabilities.
  Madam Speaker, local businesses in the small communities throughout 
our two Congressional districts are much more than employers. They are 
the backbone of a support system for projects, non-profit 
organizations, and our youth and civic events that would not be 
successful without their involvement. Like many of the businesses 
selected by the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce as its Business of 
the Year, Mary's Pizza Shack exemplifies this commitment. It is 
therefore appropriate for us to honor Mary's Pizza Shack, the Fazio 
family and all of their employees, both past and present, for 50 years 
of dedicated service to the Sonoma Valley.

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