[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 149 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6322-S6323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JENNY BOWLING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
devoted mother, parent, and fixture of the Colony Elementary School 
lunchroom staff, Ms. Jenny Bowling of Laurel County, KY. Jenny's love 
for cooking and sharing great food with people led to a long and 
fulfilling 38-year career as a cook and lunchroom manager at Colony 
Elementary.
  Jenny began her career as a lunchroom cook in May of 1959 so that she 
could be close to her three children, who were enrolled at Colony 
Elementary at the time. She grew close to the teachers and other school 
staff over the years. She also served as the lunchroom manager. This 
included cooking as well as running the cafeteria, keeping payroll 
records and processing the free lunch forms.
  In addition, Jenny was an avid volunteer within the school. Jenny was 
a member of the PTO and rarely missed a meeting. The value and 
importance of school involvement to Jenny was irreplaceable, a 
tradition that is still very much alive within her today--Jenny still 
volunteers every year at Colony Elementary's annual Thanksgiving 
celebration by assisting in the lunchroom preparation of the 
traditional turkey and stuffing meals. Jenny passionately served the 
children and staff of Colony Elementary for almost four decades before 
she retired in 1997.
  Ms. Jenny Bowling's lifetime commitment to serving Colony Elementary 
with smiles and home-style meals is truly admirable and an inspiration 
to the citizens of our great Commonwealth. The Laurel County Sentinel 
Echo published an article highlighting and thanking Jenny for her 
service to the people of Kentucky. I ask unanimous consent that the 
full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

              [From the Laurel County Sentinel Echo, 2011]

 Homestyle Traditions: Jenny Bowling Keeps Cafeteria Recipes Alive in 
                          Her Kitchen at Home

                          (By Magen McCrarey)

       In May 1959, Jenny Bowling pulled a hairnet over her soft 
     locks to prepare for 38 years working within school 
     cafeterias.
       ``At the time we peeled our own potatoes,'' Bowling 
     recalled.

[[Page S6323]]

       Today, she observes that lunch is just not made like it 
     used to be with instant boxed potatoes, nutritional charts to 
     follow and new regulations. Bowling reminisced about the days 
     she spent at Colony Elementary School with fellow cooks, Ada 
     Clay and Thelma Lincks, and soon after, Opal Nicholson and 
     Maggie Wilkerson, rolling out dough for yeast rolls, mixing 
     cornmeal and flour for cornbread and putting their own 
     personal touch on recipes.
       Working at Colony in western Laurel County was ideal for 
     Bowling, being a short distance away from her home while her 
     three children were enrolled in classrooms just down the hall 
     from the lunchroom.
       Over the years, Bowling became close to the school staff 
     and to the teachers especially. Her time was not always spent 
     with her hands in the dough; she kept records of payroll, 
     processed the free lunch forms and ensured that the cafeteria 
     ran smoothly in her position as lunchroom manager.
       ``People who weren't in the lunchroom had no idea the 
     bookwork involved,'' she said.
       Children at the school who could not afford to pay for 
     their lunch would be hired as help for the cafeteria, Bowling 
     said, to help serve food, and, on occasion, wash dishes in 
     exchange for payment.
       Bowling made only $25 a week to help with the bills, while 
     her husband, Oscar, was out on the road driving a truck to 
     help support the four. Her youngest son at the time, Larry, 
     had not started school yet and so $10 of her pay was handed 
     to a babysitter.
       Being involved with the school was very important to 
     Bowling. As an avid PTO volunteer and member, she rarely 
     missed a meeting. School involvement is still something she 
     continues to value, even now that her children have graduated 
     and have children of their own.
       ``My oldest, Charlotte, is 60 years old,'' she noted.
       Bowling continues to volunteer at Colony Elementary's 
     annual Thanksgiving celebration. Bowling assists in the 
     lunchroom preparations for the traditional turkey and 
     stuffing feast, although she's still adjusting to the new way 
     of doing things which usually involves using up-to-date 
     machines for mass meal production.
       ``The equipment is so new and different,'' she commented.
       Instead of children dropping pocket change and crumpled 
     dollar bills for the lunchroom staff to count and pencil in, 
     computers are now used to calculate change and handle 
     payments.
       ``The last year I was there they started using computers,'' 
     Bowling said. She retired in 1997.
       Even though the old homestyle recipes are no longer 
     prepared at the school's cafeteria, Bowling still keeps the 
     recipes alive in her own kitchen. Every Sunday, Bowling cooks 
     for her family.
       ``I love to cook if people like to eat.''

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