[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 148 (Tuesday, October 22, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING DOTTIE BERGER MACKINNON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 22, 2013

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and legacy of an outstanding leader of the Tampa Bay community, Dottie 
Berger MacKinnon. Her tireless crusade to better the lives of neglected 
and abused children is an inspiration to the Tampa Bay community and to 
this great nation.
  Among Mrs. Berger MacKinnon's numerous accomplishments is her work in 
founding charities that support needy children. In 1992, Mrs. Berger 
MacKinnon led a community effort to found Joshua House, a kid's shelter 
in the Tampa Bay area which now handles children ages 7 to 17 who have 
been removed from their homes. Never tiring of making a positive 
difference, Mrs. Berger MacKinnon worked to found Kid's Charity of 
Tampa Bay in 2006. Kid's Charity also manages A Kid's Place, a 60-bed 
emergency shelter for children waiting to be placed with a foster 
family. Mrs. Berger MacKinnon's visionary leadership resulted in 
raising $5 million for A Kid's Place to build an amazing facility that 
now has helped more than 700 abused, abandoned and neglected children.
  A native of Kentucky, Berger MacKinnon had an early passion for 
politics that led her to move at age 15 to live with an aunt on the 
outskirts of Washington. She later moved to Tampa where she earned a 
B.A. in political science in 1984 from the University of South Florida. 
She joined the Gulf Coast Division for the Children's Home Society of 
Florida in 1985 where she served as one of its State Board members.
  Mrs. Berger MacKinnon won a seat on the Hillsborough County 
Commission in 1994 and went on to become chairman from 1996 to 1997. On 
the Commission, she continued to fight for abused and neglected 
children. Mrs. Berger MacKinnon served on the Hillsborough County 
Hospital Authority, as well as three terms on Tampa General Hospital's 
governing board. Here, she was instrumental in its transformation into 
a not-for-profit institution. Mrs. Berger MacKinnon was inducted into 
the Hillsborough County Women's Hall of Fame earlier this year.
  Mrs. Berger MacKinnon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 and 
unfortunately passed away this October. Through her brave battle with 
cancer, Mrs. Berger MacKinnon was an inspiration to others who are 
fighting this devastating disease. To carry on her tenacious spirit and 
honor her legacy, I introduced the Eliminating Disparities in Breast 
Cancer Treatment Act. This Act will help ensure greater access to 
cancer treatment for women across the Nation. Mr. Speaker, today on 
behalf of the many people who have been inspired by her diligent 
efforts and for the thousands of children whose lives are forever 
bettered by her never-ending generosity, we salute and thank Dottie 
Berger MacKinnon.

                          ____________________