[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 14, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S3021]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO MIRA BALL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and congratulate 
my good friend, Mira Ball. On June 5, Mira will receive the Midway 
College Legacy Award for her many contributions and years of service to 
Midway College, located in Midway, KY.
  Mira is the first ever recipient of this award, which will be given 
out at the Inaugural Spotlight awards in June. The purpose of the 
Legacy Award is to recognize ``a person or persons that have impacted 
Midway College over a period of many years by giving time, service, 
support and/or resources.'' With such a description, it's no wonder 
that Mira was the first in line to receive it.
  Mira's contributions to Midway College, which is Kentucky's only 
women's college and a leader in degree programs for men and women, are 
aplenty. She has served on the board of trustees since 1990, became the 
first woman to chair the board in 1997, and was honored to be elected a 
life trustee in 2000. Last year, she served as interim chair while the 
institution was in a transitional period.
  Even with her devotion to Midway College, Mira has amazingly found 
time to pursue a multitude of other interests and causes. She became 
the first woman president of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce in 1991 
and was also the first woman to chair the University of Kentucky board 
of trustees, a post she occupied from 2007 to 2010. If you hadn't 
noticed, my friend Mira has never been afraid to be the first to do 
anything.
  Additionally, Mira has been one of our State's strongest advocates 
for education reform, and she currently serves on the endowment board 
of Kentucky Educational Television, KET. She is also an involved member 
of the Calvary Baptist Church and is an active philanthropist to health 
care and education groups.
  Somehow, amidst this seemingly endless stream of extracurricular 
activities, Mira carves out some time for her day job. She serves as 
the chief financial officer for the very successful Ball Homes LLC 
homebuilders, which she runs with her husband, Don, and their three 
children--Ray Ball, Mike Ball, and Lisa Ball Sharp. In addition to 
their children, Mira and Don have seven grandchildren--making for a 
wonderful family that is undoubtedly her biggest achievement of all.
  Mira's tireless efforts to better the lives of others deserve the 
recognition of this body. Thus, I ask that my U.S. Senate colleagues 
join me in honoring Mira Ball, and congratulating her for being the 
first-ever recipient of the prestigious Midway College Legacy Award.

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