[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 171 (Thursday, November 19, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8130-S8131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO BART AND CHERRY STARR
Mr. JOHNSON. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute and to
honor two great Americans, two wonderful people--Bart and Cherry
Starr--for their numerous personal, professional, and charitable
contributions to the Nation and the great State of Wisconsin.
We are all aware of Bart's extraordinary contributions on the
football field as quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Drafted in the
17th round in 1956, Bart proceeded to win 5 world championships,
including victories in the first 2 Super Bowls. He was named the Super
Bowl's Most Valuable Player for both games, but ever humble, Bart gave
full credit to his teammates and to legendary coach Vince Lombardi for
the team's historic success.
Over the years, Bart has received many honors. He was selected as a
Pro Bowl Player four times and was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player
in 1966. He was recognized in 1970 with the Gladiator of the Year Award
for best exemplifying the character attributes of a citizen-athlete.
And he has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame: The Alabama
Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977, and
the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bart's football legacy goes beyond technical skill. His excellence in
leadership and strength of character earned him the respect of his
coaches, teammates, and fans worldwide. He continues to be lauded as an
example throughout the NFL. Every year, the Bart Starr Award is
presented to an NFL player who demonstrates leadership and integrity on
the field and in his community.
Bart considers his wife Cherry to be the most important member of the
Starr family team. Cherry supported and inspired her husband as they
raised their children, Bart Junior and Bret, and devoted herself to
numerous charitable causes throughout their life together. Their gifts
of time, financial support, and celebrity continue to be a part of a
lifelong mission benefiting many charities and causes.
At the height of his career with the Packers, Bart and Cherry
cofounded Rawhide Boys Ranch, a home for at-risk boys. Over the years,
the Rawhide Boys Ranch has grown into a campus comprised of seven boys
homes, a state-of-the-art high school named in honor of Bart and Cherry
Starr, and numerous work experience facilities that expose youth to a
variety of trades.
Bart and Cherry also served as honorary chairpersons for the Vince
Lombardi Cancer Foundation for more than 44 years. Their work behind
the scenes was central to raising more than $16 million for cancer
research.
In addition, Bart and Cherry have been longtime supporters of
Cornerstone Schools of Alabama. Cornerstone offers a Christ-centered
education committed to academic excellence for Birmingham's inner city
children whose families have limited school choice.
Finally, Cherry's passion for animals fuels their generous support
over many years for the Greater Birmingham Humane Society.
Bart and Cherry are very proud of their children, grandchildren, and
great-grandchildren, but the accomplishment they value most, that they
cherish most, is their 60 years of loving marriage. I am honored to
recognize
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Bart and Cherry Starr for their exemplary lives. May their humble
leadership, sacrifice, and love for others serve as an inspiration for
all of us.
Madam President, I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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