[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 63 (Monday, May 7, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S2918]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                    RECOGNIZING MAYOR MIKE WOOLSTON

 Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, on May 22, 2011, the city of Joplin, 
MO, was struck by an EF5 tornado. The path of devastation was an 
incredible 6 miles long and almost 1 mile wide. The destruction was 
beyond words. Too many were lost, and lives were upended. Homes, 
schools, and businesses were destroyed. Joplin's mayor that terrible 
day was Mike Woolston. Mayor Woolston showed the world that Joplin was 
up to the challenge of not only surviving but rebuilding.
  Mayor Woolston grew up in Joplin. Mike graduated from Joplin's 
Parkwood High School and Missouri Southern State University. After 
graduation from MSSU, Mike served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps 
at a number of locations at home and abroad. In 1988 Mike returned to 
Joplin and embarked on a career in real estate. For nearly 25 years 
Mike has been active in the Joplin community, serving on a number of 
community organizations such as United Way of Southwest Missouri, 
Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, American Red Cross, Salvation 
Army, and Joplin public schools' Bright Futures Program.
  Mike was elected to the Joplin City Council in 2002. In 2010 his 
council peers elected him mayor. Mike was serving in that position when 
the most destructive tornado of the last 60 years struck the city of 
Joplin. Mayor Mike Woolston spent countless hours guiding the city 
through rescue, recovery, and eventually the beginning of the 
rebuilding process. Mayor Woolston's calm demeanor, positive attitude, 
and recognition of the thousands of others who were involved in every 
stage of post-tornado actions gave the citizens of the Joplin area hope 
for the future. As the face and voice for the city of Joplin, Mayor 
Woolston gave the Nation and the world a shining example of the spirit 
of cooperation and can-do work ethic which exemplifies Joplin, MO.
  I hereby recognize and thank Michael R. Woolston for his leadership 
of the city of Joplin in the wake of the May 22, 2011, tornado and for 
his commitment to the citizens of his community.

                          ____________________