[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION FOR DEBBIE RICH RECIPIENT OF THE 2014 PHYLLIS 
                   EHLINGER WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RON BARBER

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 28, 2014

  Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Debbie Rich, chief 
executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona, who has been 
named winner of the 2014 Phyllis Ehlinger Women of Excellence Award by 
the Tucson Chapter of the American Advertising Federation.
  This prestigious award recognizes a local woman who is a business 
owner or executive and who has demonstrated success within her 
industry, along with a dedication to philanthropy and mentoring.
  Debbie is a former Girl Scout herself who today leads an organization 
that serves more than 15,000 girls and has more than 2,500 adult 
volunteers in Pima, Cochise, Greenlee, Yuma and Santa Cruz counties as 
well as southern parts of Graham, Maricopa and Pinal counties.
  To meet the demand for services in Southern Arizona's underserved 
communities, Debbie created an innovative program using women students 
at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College as troop 
leaders. This has become a program beneficial both for the young scouts 
and also for the students who serve as their mentors and role models. 
To date, it is the only Girl Scout organization in the Nation to use 
this model.
  Also under Debbie's leadership, Girl Scouts in Southern Arizona are 
addressing serious contemporary issues such as poverty, illiteracy, 
hunger, homelessness and violence.
  Debbie's programs have become so successful and popular that the Girl 
Scouts of Southern Arizona now requires more space to fulfill its 
mission. There soon will be an enlarged campus with meeting rooms, 
science labs, a demonstration kitchen, a digital media lab and a gym.
  Debbie has said that her goal is to motivate every girl in our 
community to be the best that she can be. Debbie herself has set a 
sterling example for the Girl Scouts who will come after her.
  I am proud to recognize Debbie Rich on the occasion of her selection 
as recipient of the 2014 Phyllis Ehlinger Women of Excellence Award.

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