[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 184 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H5686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING BRAS FOR A CAUSE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize October as 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
  As a physician, and also as a member of our society and country and 
the female gender, we are all familiar with the amazing work the Komen 
Foundation and Komen Race for the Cure have done to raise awareness, 
education, and research in breast cancer.
  I would like to take the time to recognize an extraordinary group in 
my district that has found a creative way to help underserved women in 
the Ottumwa community receive annual mammogram screenings and breast 
ultrasounds.
  Founded in 2011 by two-time breast cancer survivor and River Hills 
Community Health Center nurse Laurie Hornback, Bras for a Cause is an 
annual fundraising event held in Hedrick, Iowa, where donated and 
decorated bras are modeled by local firefighters and auctioned off. 
Over the past 10 years, the event has raised a total of $174,000 to 
help women receive breast cancer screenings or treatment.
  This year, Bras for a Cause raised a total of $27,000, and they will 
be donating $15,000 to help Ottumwa women receive breast cancer 
screenings at River Hills Community Health Center in Ottumwa. 
Additionally, a portion of the remaining funds was donated to the 
Mahaska Health Partnership, while the rest is being saved to help women 
currently diagnosed with breast cancer undergo treatment.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Laurie and Bras for a Cause for coming together 
to put on this fantastic event and for their service to our community.


           Recognizing Sara Russell, Iowa Teacher of the Year

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a teacher 
from my district who recently received a prestigious Iowa award for her 
work to inspire the next generation.
  Last week, Sara Russell, who has been teaching social studies for 
nearly 20 years at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, was 
awarded the Department of Education's 2022 Teacher of the Year Award by 
Governor Kim Reynolds.
  The Iowa Teacher of the Year Award was established in 1958 to 
recognize educators who go above and beyond to motivate and inspire 
students to achieve at their highest levels.

  Sara was selected for this award for her leadership in helping 
students build life skills while also being a mentor for new teachers 
in the Pleasant Valley School District.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Sara and all educators who work to inspire the 
next generation of American leaders and make Iowa the best place to 
learn, live, work, and raise a family.


                     Recognizing Eric Vander Velden

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to share a story about 
educators in my district literally going the extra mile to ensure their 
students' success.
  For the last few months, the Newton School District in Jasper County 
has reported a shortage of bus drivers, leaving many parents and 
students uncertain about how they would be able to make it to school 
each morning. In a rural area, our bus transportation to school is 
extremely important.
  With the importance of education and safety in mind, Eric Vander 
Velden, a physical education teacher in the Newton School District, 
answered the call for help by driving a school bus when needed. This is 
part of a larger effort by the Newton staff, in concert with parents, 
to do whatever they can to help their students succeed.
  It is stories like these that remind us that our teachers are the 
backbone of this country, and I couldn't be more confident in our 
future, knowing that the next generation is in their capable hands.

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