[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 103 (Thursday, June 16, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN RECOGNITION OF MELISSA SANDOVAL AND MARVIN MacAULEY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. TERESA LEGER FERNANDEZ

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 16, 2022

  Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Melissa Sandoval 
and Marvin MacAuley.
  Currently, wildfires are devastating my district. These fires have 
ravaged sacred, cultural, and familiar spaces while destroying 
everything in their paths. Tens of thousands of people are displaced 
and uncertainty surrounds us. But, in this time of devastation, there 
are people who continue to give so much of themselves to meet the needs 
of their communities.
  Some of these exemplary people include Superintendent Melissa 
Sandoval of Penasco Independent Schools and Superintendent Marvin 
MacAuley of Mora Independent Schools.
  Many communities in rural New Mexico are unincorporated or census-
designated places without mayors, a town council, emergency managers, 
or special project coordinators. Despite this, communities like Penasco 
and Mora are fortunate to have extraordinary superintendents.
  When evacuation orders were looming and the need to prepare was 
imminent, Superintendents Sandoval and MacAuley got together and 
coordinated a response to provide shelter, warm meals, and a safe space 
for hundreds of displaced community members. They stepped up for their 
communities when it was least convenient.
  I had the privilege of meeting with Superintendents Sandoval and 
MacAuley at the Penasco Middle School evacuation site. As I walked 
through the gym and spoke to evacuees, their gratitude for the space 
created by Sandoval, MacAuley, and their teams, was evident. While 
these individuals and families were losing their homes, Sandoval and 
MacAuley ensured that they had fewer things to worry about.
  People like Melissa and Marvin exemplify the strength of our 
communities. Their efforts remind us of the importance of showing up 
and stepping up for our neighbors whether through small everyday 
actions or large collaborative efforts.
  Superintendents Sandoval and MacAuley represent the best of us.
  I commend these two remarkable individuals for their leadership. I am 
thankful to them for all they have done and continue to do for their 
students and communities throughout northern New Mexico.

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