[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         RECOGNIZING ANGEL COOK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 9, 2024

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 
unique contributions made in our community by one of my constituents, 
Angel Cook. Angel is an esteemed member of the community with a huge 
heart for at-risk youth and a duty to serve beyond measure. For the 
past 15 years, Angel has committed time, effort, and energy to support 
the RAP House in New Port Richey and more specifically, the runaway, 
homeless and foster youth that reside in the shelter. RAP serves an 
average of 200 youth every year which means that Angel has touched the 
lives of over 3,000 children.
  What drives Angel's dedication and passion is her extraordinary 
personal story and relationship with RAP House. Growing up in a 
troubled home, Angel eventually found her way to RAP where she resided 
off and on for some time. Angel does not hesitate to share how RAP 
``saved her life'' and helped her envision a positive and productive 
future despite the odds. As an ambassador for RAP, Angel has been a 
part of the Rap River Run (RRR) committee, raising well over $300,000 
since 2016 to support RAP in meeting the needs of youth in crisis. 
These funds are crucial to support operations and services at RAP 
including counseling, tutoring, clothing, and extracurricular 
activities. Additionally, Angel has been the RAP Queen of Christmas for 
over 10 years, gathering youth Christmas wishes and making sure they 
are fulfilled every year. And what an amazing effort this is. Each 
child creates a list of 10 wishes and Angel works with the community to 
make it happen, including a wrapping party to ensure the gifts have a 
personal touch. The looks on the faces of the kids when they see they 
were remembered at Christmas and their wishes fulfilled is the touch of 
magic Angel consistently delivers. One of the true ``doers'' in the 
community, Angel seems to always be organizing fundraisers and 
community events to better the lives of others. She helps coordinate 
annual parades and is involved in numerous local non-profits. She truly 
is an angel--touching the lives of those she serves.
  It is clear that Ms. Cook has made a profoundly positive impact on 
our community, and I am grateful for her service.

                          ____________________