[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E259-E260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        IN HONOR OF JACI PAPPAS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 28, 2012

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the public service of a 
true community pillar of California's Central Coast. Jaci Pappas is a 
fifth generation Californian who grew up in Stockton, California. But 
it has been in Big Sur where she has found her life's calling as 
champion volunteer. And while she has never sought out accolades, her 
neighbors have seen fit to honor her on March 2, 2012, as ``Volunteer 
Extraordinaire.'' They have all benefited from Jaci's efforts to 
realize her life's theme: ``Always give back to your community in 
whatever way you can.''
   Jaci earned a Business Administration degree from Mills College in 
Oakland, California. Soon after, she began her public service career in 
Sacramento as assistant to my good friend Assemblyman Willie Brown 
while he served as chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. In 
1973, after twelve years in the Capitol, Jaci was appointed City Clerk 
for the City of Sacramento--the first woman to hold the position since 
Sacramento's founding in 1850.
   In 1979, Jaci married architect Steve Pappas, and together they 
bought property and moved to Big Sur. She established herself as a 
bookkeeper working for various small businesses in Big Sur. Her 
volunteer work began in 1980 when she took on the unpaid position of 
secretary and then treasurer of the Coast Property Owners Association. 
She later held the same positions with the Big Sur Historical Society, 
and also served a number of years as head of the local Election Board, 
encouraging participation by all community members in the election 
process.
   In addition to these leadership roles, Jaci has devoted countless 
hours giving her business and administrative skills to help community 
groups accomplish their work. Jaci has

[[Page E260]]

voluntarily handled the bookkeeping for the Big Sur River Run since its 
inception in 1981. That event has raised more than $800,000 for the Big 
Sur Health Center and the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, two 
organizations for which Jaci also handles the bookkeeping. Other causes 
that she has helped in this way include the Big Sur Historical Society, 
Big Sur Jazz Festival, Big Sur Hidden Gardens Tour, Big Sur Grange, the 
Big Sur Community Emergency Response Team, the Big Sur Natural History 
Association, the Henry Miller Memorial Library, the Big Sur Public 
Library, and the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival. She also contributes her 
time as the editor of the Big Sur Grange, and the Round Up newsletters. 
She is even co-chair of the Big Sur Book Club.
   Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for the whole House as I acknowledge and 
congratulate Jaci Pappas, Big Sur's ``Volunteer Extraordinaire,'' for 
her record of stellar public service, and wish her many happy years 
ahead in which I know she will continue to teach us all how to live 
life well in voluntary service to others.

                          ____________________