[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S219-S220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Tribute to Pat Shingleton

  Mr. President, now let me switch topics. One of the good things about 
politics and government--and the Presiding Officer has probably had 
this experience--is that you meet so many interesting people, and 
everybody is interesting in his own way. I have met people who are more 
famous than wise. I have met people who are more wise than famous, and 
I have met people who are both famous and wise. One of the latter is 
what I would like to talk about today. He is a gentleman by the name of 
Pat Shingleton. His name may not be famous here--it is back in 
Louisiana--but I can assure you that his virtues are. I want to honor 
the work of Pat Shingleton today.
  Pat is a Baton Rouge meteorologist, but he is also a longtime fixture 
in our community. He has retired. I think his last broadcast was Friday 
night. He had worked for 45 years. That is probably older than the 
Presiding Officer.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Almost.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, he had been reporting and trying to 
predict--and had predicted with great accuracy--the weather in the 
Baton Rouge metropolitan community for 45 years, but Pat's experience 
covers a whole lot more than being a meteorologist, though he was one 
of the best I have ever seen in that regard.
  During his nearly half century of reporting the weather, Pat not only 
covered more than 500 storms and hurricanes but he also hosted ``We 
Play Baton Rouge,'' a local game show; ``The 5th Quarter,'' a sports 
show; and ``Hotline After Dark,'' a local talk show, where his guests--
and I am going to quote here--``ran the gamut from champion 
bodybuilders, to beer brewers, to duck callers.'' We are a very diverse 
people in Louisiana.
  Pat has a warm heart, and he cares for the State and the Baton Rouge

[[Page S220]]

community, and that has been on display for a lot of years. I am not 
telling my people back home anything they don't already know.
  Pat is especially well known for being chairman of WBRZ--WBRZ, 
channel 2 in Baton Rouge, our prominent local station, where Pat has 
worked for so long.
  Pat has worked hard as chairman of that station's Pat's Coats for 
Kids--Pat's Coats for Kids. This program has--unfortunately, we have 
children in America and in Louisiana who are hungry and cold. You can't 
learn when you are hungry; you can't learn when you are cold.
  Pat has delivered hundreds of thousands--could be in the millions for 
all I know--of coats to kids whose parents can't afford to keep them 
warm in the winter.
  He has also created the Fill a Prescription for the Needy project, 
and he started Baton Rouge's St. Patrick's Day parade--the Wearin' of 
the Green, it is called--which he continues to coordinate every single 
year.
  Pat's final broadcast took place on Friday night, as I mentioned, 
January 29. That does not--I can assure you, knowing Pat Shingleton, 
that does not mark the end of his service to the people in Baton Rouge. 
I can say that with great confidence.
  I predict that Pat will continue to contribute as a community 
advocate and as a spokesperson at WBRZ. I predict he will continue to 
champion all of the charity projects that he spearheaded for so many 
years.
  Now, when asked about his retirement, Pat said, and I am going to 
quote, ``I think we're all given a whole bunch of heartbeats.''
  ``We're all given a whole bunch of heartbeats,'' Pat said, ``and God 
gives us these heartbeats to do something good.''
  What an eloquent way of putting it. Pat has used his heartbeats 
pretty well, in my judgment. He has a lot more to go, but he has done 
it for the good of our State, for the good of the Baton Rouge 
metropolitan community, and he has done it in the newsroom, and he has 
done it outside the newsroom.
  Pat says he is going to spend the extra time with his family--good 
for him; he has earned it--especially his 1-year-old grandchild.
  Look, we are going to miss his guiding hand through Louisiana's 
irreverent weather patterns. We may have to draft him back on a few 
occasions, but I want to wish him a joyful retirement to soak in all 
the perks of being a grandfather.
  Pat, thank you. Thank you for your hard work for the people of Baton 
Rouge. Thank you for giving so much to the people of Louisiana for all 
these 45 years.
  You are a good person, and you are a fine American. God bless you and 
your family.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.