[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 141 (Friday, August 7, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE SELFLESS CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF DEBBIE LAIRD ON THE 
                        EVENT OF HER RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN W. BROOKS

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 7, 2020

  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Debbie Laird on the occasion of her retirement from Janus Developmental 
Services. Debbie has spent her career helping people, including her 
most recent role as the Senior Vice President of Development at Janus 
Developmental Services. She is a selfless, caring person with whom I am 
fortunate to know and call my friend.
  Janus is a non-profit agency that has served our community for nearly 
forty years. I visited Janus multiple times throughout my time in 
Congress and I strongly believe in the work they do. The group provides 
opportunities for clients with developmental disabilities such as 
autism or cerebral palsy. They provide them an opportunity to get real 
world work experience and use their creativity to better our community. 
For many years, Debbie dedicated herself to helping these individuals. 
This speaks to her selflessness and her desire to better the lives of 
those in her community.
  Along with her tremendous work at Janus, Debbie is the mother of 
fallen Indianapolis Police Officer Jake Laird, who was killed in the 
line of duty in 2004. She and her husband Mike have used their loss to 
create good in our community as well as in the law enforcement 
community. They were fervent advocates for red flag legislation named 
for their son that was enacted into law in the State of Indiana the 
year after his death. In honor of Jake's passion for public service, 
the Lairds created the Jake Laird Memorial Fund in 2004. For sixteen 
years Debbie and Mike have been raising money for those with the same 
passion as their son Jake.
  The mission of the memorial fund is to provide financial 
contributions to law and fire department agencies for the purchase of 
new equipment, the institution of new instructional programs, or 
financial assistance to officers injured in the line of duty. The main 
event that contributes to this fund is the annual Jake Laird Memorial 
Golf Outing. What started as an event with eighty golfers in 2004, has 
grown to one with over 360 golfers in 2019. As of January 2020, the 
Jake Laird Memorial Fund donated over $950,000 to various police and 
firefighter causes throughout the state of Indiana.
  I am very proud to be able to call Debbie a friend. Her advocacy for 
so many throughout her career has produced real and lasting change 
throughout our community. On behalf of the people of Indiana's Fifth 
District, I thank Debbie for her life-changing dedication to our 
community. I wish her a very happy and well-deserved retirement, 
although I know her service will continue.

                          ____________________