[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       HONORING THE DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP OF LINDA SUTHERLAND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 29, 2010

  Mr. GRAYSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication 
and community leadership of Linda Sutherland in honor of Children's 
Awareness Month. As executive director of the Orange County Healthy 
Start Coalition, Mrs. Sutherland helps provide nutritional education 
and counseling services to pregnant woman and mothers with infants in 
order to ensure healthy pregnancies and babies. For 10 years, under 
Linda Sutherland's direction, new and expecting mothers in Central 
Florida have had access to support and important resources that will 
ensure their child receives the highest quality of health care. 
Children's Awareness Month focuses on bringing attention to the 
emotional, physical, and mental health needs of our children and youth. 
Linda Sutherland's leadership with the Healthy Start Coalition 
encourages the strengthening of maternal and child health by ensuring 
that all Florida families have access to a continuum of affordable and 
quality health and related services.
  Mrs. Sutherland is a graduate of Marymount College where she 
graduated with a degree in Business Administration. She was then 
elected and served for the next 12 years as an Orange County School 
Board Member. Over the past two decades, Mrs. Sutherland has been given 
numerous awards for her professional and personal achievements and 
contributions. The Who's Who of International Women, Orange County 
Public Health, and the Florida School Board Association are just a few 
of the organizations who have recognized her outstanding leadership and 
active involvement in the Central Florida community. Linda Sutherland 
also serves as a peer reviewer for The Maternal Child Health Journal 
and contributes to the State of Florida March of Dimes Planning 
Committee.
  Madam Speaker, Mrs. Sutherland's advocacy on behalf of women and 
children in the Central Florida community simply cannot be measured. 
Throughout the last 25 years, Mrs. Sutherland has demonstrated that a 
single person can make a difference in many lives. The Healthy Start 
Coalition transforms families every day by working together to reducing 
infant mortality and low birth weight babies. It gives me pleasure to 
honor Mrs. Linda Sutherland who deserves this recognition for her 
incredibly charitable work and philanthropy in the Central Florida 
community.

                          ____________________