[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E288]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO MARY O'KEEFE--28TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF THE YEAR

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                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 2020

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History 
Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and 
sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to 
outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional 
District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Mary O'Keefe of 
La Crescenta, California.
   Mary O'Keefe is an esteemed community volunteer and reporter for the 
Crescenta Valley Weekly, and her contributions, both personal and 
professional, have positively impacted the lives of many people in the 
greater La Crescenta community.
   A consummate volunteer, Ms. O'Keefe's contributions to her community 
date back to being a Girl Scouts troop leader when her daughters were 
young. As an enthusiastic Parent Teacher Association (PTA) member and 
room mom, she quickly became known as a sought-after volunteer for 
whatever events and activities the PTA was planning. When her son was 
attending high school, Mary became a vital member of Prom Plus, a non-
profit organization which holds a supervised after-prom event for 
Crescenta Valley High School seniors as well as their guests. When her 
daughter voiced interest in establishing a youth arm, Prom Plus Club, 
she became the club's mentor and oversaw hundreds of students as they 
implemented volunteer tasks in the community and helped create the 
scholarship program for members of the Prom Plus Club. Ms. O'Keefe 
remains active in both Prom Plus and Prom Plus Club to this day.
   Mary founded the Fire House Youth Center in La Crescenta, which 
welcomes youth to congregate and spend time with each other in a safe 
place. Under Ms. O'Keefe's mentorship, youth are encouraged to 
establish their own programs such as Girl Empowerment Day, career night 
and college information night. In 2016, youth skateboarders from the 
Fire House worked with Los Angeles County and designed their own skate 
park at Crescenta Valley Park.
   In addition, Mary also serves on the Crescenta Valley Prayer 
Breakfast Committee and Crescenta Valley Fire Safe Council Board, and 
helped create the local community newspaper, the Crescenta Valley 
Weekly, where she oversees a staff of reporters who write for the 
newspaper, while being a main contributing writer herself on in-depth 
stories.
   A devoted wife and mother, Mary and her husband Mark have three 
children: Charly, Molly and Jessy.
   I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-
respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Mary 
O'Keefe.

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