[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E87]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING FATHER DONALD MOWERY ON RECEIVING THE 2014 BE THE DREAM 
                            MLK LEGACY AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 16, 2014

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Father Donald 
Mowery on receiving the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award. This 
special award is given to those individuals whose lives have ``embodied 
the spirit and legacy of service, sacrifice and hope'' that 
characterized the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As an agent of 
change during the Civil Rights Movement, it is fitting that this award 
be bestowed upon Father Mowery in recognition of his accomplishments 
and contributions.
   Donald Mowery was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was brought up 
in a funeral home, which he had intended to make his life's work before 
being called to ministry. He attended school in Chattanooga before 
finishing college then seminary school at Berkeley Divinity School at 
Yale. While studying at Yale, he worked with young people at St. 
Peter's Episcopal Church and upon completion, he was assigned to a 
parish in Nashville, Tennessee, where he continued this important work. 
In Nashville, he became involved with the police department, holding 
services for the officers during the shift changes on Saturdays. This 
garnered him recognition from his Bishop and the Mayor of Nashville.
   In 1963, Father Mowery received an invitation from the Bishop to 
continue his work with young people and the police department at St. 
Mary's Cathedral in Memphis, Tennessee. He joined Youth Service and 
began working with kids from different social and economic backgrounds, 
taking them on camping, boating, fishing and basketball trips in parks 
around the city. In 1968, following the assassination of Dr. King, 
Father Mowery received a warning that the parks would not be safe to 
conduct his program out of fear that he or one of the kids could be 
hurt among the unrest. He was advised to end the program but for Father 
Mowery, this only underscored the importance of the youth program.
   Determined to keep the program open, Father Mowery appealed to the 
Navy base in Millington, Tennessee to use its facilities. Although his 
proposal was initially turned down, over the course of a weekend, the 
Navy reversed its decision and became a large supporter of the program. 
The Navy provided food assistance, shirts for the kids and exposure to 
military training techniques, which would become the first military 
youth training program. The program was such a success that the 
Department of Defense invited Father Mowery to Washington, D.C. to 
discuss starting 125 similar programs on military bases across the 
country. This led to the establishment of the national Youth Service 
USA.
   Father Mowery's Memphis-based Youth Service and the Bridge Builders 
program, founded by Becky Wilson, joined to become BRIDGES in 1996. 
Today, BRIDGES is considered the ``premier youth organization in the 
Memphis area.'' There is no doubt that Father Mowery's work is worthy 
of this award named after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. 
Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Father 
Donald Mowery on being awarded the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award.

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