[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 153 (Friday, September 3, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E949-E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING ROBERT AND DIANE FINDLAY AS IOWANS OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 3, 2021

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Diane and Robert Findlay as 
Iowans of the Week.
  Every day, people of all ages and backgrounds read books for 
different reasons. Some read books to spark their imagination, and 
others read books for more insight on fascinating topics. For Diane and 
Robert Findlay, books are so much more than that. The Findlays started 
a book club in their community of Dallas Center, Iowa called Read & 
Serve. This group is not your average get-together to discuss the 
week's literature. The Read & Serve book club is made up of members of 
different faiths, like Baha'is, Christians, and free thinkers alike. 
While their faiths vary, they all share a common passion: community. 
Diane and Robert belong to the Baha'i faith, and they constantly look 
for opportunities to get involved in their local community, 
specifically through prayer, learning, and serving with neighbors and 
friends.
  While the Read & Serve book club enjoys discussing their current 
readings, they also enjoy participating in service projects to further 
cultivate their collective sense of community. When the COVID-19 
pandemic hit, the Findlay's book club still wanted to find a project to 
get involved with that allowed them to give back, albeit in a safe 
manner. They heard of a project happening in New York where people were 
donating their used books to local and county jails for the 
incarcerated individuals to delve into. The Read & Serve book club 
connected with the Dallas County Sheriff and Dallas County Jail to see 
what they could do to get new books into the facility.
  The Findlay's book club, with the help of the county jail, created a 
survey listing a multitude of genres to gauge the interest of the 
inmates. The survey showed they were interested in almost every genre 
imaginable. From westerns

[[Page E950]]

to Shakespeare, thrillers to poetry, these individuals seemed eager to 
get their hands on the covers and their minds into the pages.
  Since the Findlays have started this project, they have been sending 
new copies of used books to the Dallas County Jail every third Tuesday 
each month. After the local news covered their story, more and more 
people from across their community, even across the country, contacted 
the Findlays stating their desire to contribute books. Even an author 
from Texas contributed signed copies of books they have published all 
because they were inspired by the Findlay's story.
  Diane and Robert have felt the most rewarding aspect of their project 
is seeing how much interest has been generated in their community and 
around the country. They have received many calls and emails expressing 
gratitude for their efforts to support a community within our country 
that is often forgotten. Many of these calls and emails are accompanied 
by requests to send the Findlays more books, or even requests for 
instructions as to how others can start similar projects in their own 
communities.
  Books can make profound impacts on the lives of readers. Books inform 
us, captivate us, and allow us to grow through the stories and 
narratives laid out on the pages. I'm proud of the work constituents 
like Diane and Robert are doing, and I'm thrilled that their desire to 
serve their community has made an impact on communities across the 
Nation. I am honored to designate Diane and Robert Findlay as our 
Iowans of the Week.

                          ____________________