[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 185 (Thursday, December 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2964]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FRIENDS OF YALE-NEW HAVEN 
                          CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 10, 2009

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the wonderful work done 
by the Friends of Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, who are 
celebrating their 20th anniversary this month.
  In 1989, a dear friend of mine, the late Dr. Joseph Warshaw, brought 
together a diverse group of community volunteers in and around Yale-New 
Haven Children's Hospital to address issues related to children's 
health, safety, and well-being. In the two decades since, these 
dedicated volunteers have continued their important work on behalf of 
the kids and families of Connecticut, contributing thousands of hours 
of volunteer time and having raised over $1 million for Yale-New Haven 
Children's Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics at the Yale School 
of Medicine.
  Through telethons, fundraisers, sports tournaments and other 
community outreach events, the Friends have worked to raise awareness 
of and financial support for the important pediatric work done by Yale-
New Haven. In addition, they have gone to great lengths to support 
Yale-New Haven's Emergency Department, the only Level 1 Trauma Center 
for children in Connecticut, and have fashioned a Pediatric Allocation 
Committee to distribute funds to worthy projects in the hospital.
  The Friends have also helped to fund several very worthwhile programs 
for the broader community, including We're Special Too!, designed for 
the siblings of children with chronic illness, and Reach Out & Read 
(ROR), a literacy program which distributes free books to the children 
who seek treatment at Yale-New Haven. And for many years I have joined 
the Friends on Christmas morning, as they have distributed gifts to the 
kids at Yale-New Haven and helped to ensure that even Connecticut's 
sick and injured children do not miss out on the joys of the day.
  For twenty years, in ways both great and small, the Friends have 
worked to brighten the lives of children and families in New Haven. On 
this anniversary, I applaud their efforts and their decades of service, 
and I look forward to celebrating more anniversaries with them in the 
years to come.

                          ____________________