[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SOUTHERN PINES IS AN ALL-AMERICA CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HOWARD COBLE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 25, 2012

  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, we are excited to report that a city in the 
Sixth District of North Carolina has been nationally cited for its 
efforts to promote literacy. This is a prime example of where hard work 
pays off for Southern Pines, North Carolina. The plan to improve 
reading through the resources of a coalition of business, government 
and civic leaders has resulted in Southern Pines being named as an All-
America City.
  Due to Southern Pines' development of a sensible and sustainable plan 
to increase grade-level reading proficiency by the end of the third 
grade, the National Civic League presented Southern Pines with the 
prestigious All-America City award on July 2, 2012, during the Grade-
Level Reading Communities Network Conference and All-America City Award 
celebration. Southern Pines Library Director Lynn Thompson and her 
husband Bob Howell, Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Caroline 
Eddy, as well as PineStraw Magazine's Cos Barnes, accepted the award 
while representing Southern Pines during the conference in Denver.
  With the efforts of leaders in the community such as The Country 
Bookshop, Southern Pines Public Library, and Boys and Girls Club 
expanding their summer reading programs, they have renewed the 
enthusiasm for elementary literacy. ``I think the award recognizes what 
a great community this is to live in,'' Mayor David McNeill told The 
Pilot. ``I congratulate everyone who has worked so hard on this 
project, but the kids are the real winners. The efforts that they will 
put forth to improve their reading skills will benefit them for a 
lifetime.''
  Deserving thanks and credit for their hard work and effort towards 
elementary literacy include Southern Pines Public Library, Boys and 
Girls Clubs of Sandhills, Moore County Chamber of Commerce, Moore 
County Literacy Council, Moore County NAACP, Partners for Children and 
Families, Sandhills Children's Center, and United Way of Moore County. 
Also deserving recognition for this prestigious award is Southern Pines 
Town Manager Reagan Parsons.
  On behalf of the citizens of the Sixth District of North Carolina, we 
congratulate Southern Pines for being named as an All-America City. The 
city called its campaign, ``Southern Pines Grows Great Leaders,'' and 
we are thrilled that the National Civic League agrees with us that 
Southern Pines is a great place to learn and live.

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