[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12294]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



         CONGRATULATING EXCEPTIONAL PARENTS UNLIMITED OF FRESNO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Exceptional 
Parents Unlimited of Fresno for receiving the Daily Points of Light 
Award from the Points of Light Foundation in Washington, D.C. The 
Points of Light Foundation, established by President George Bush, 
recognizes individuals and groups that give service to their 
communities.
  Exceptional Parents was founded 22 years ago by registered nurse 
Marion Karian, who still runs the organization today. It began as a 
support group at University Medical Center of Fresno, California, for 
parents of children with Down Syndrome, and has grown into a large, 
non-profit organization, which serves the family members of children 
with special needs. Marion states, ``When there is a child with 
disabilities it affects the whole family. Our approach is to help the 
whole family.''
  The heart of the organization's program is providing support, 
education and advocacy assistance to families of disabled children, 
including siblings and grandparents. An early-intervention program 
targets families with children up to three years of age. It offers 
developmental assessments and assistance including occupational 
therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. It enhances the 
development of infants and toddlers with disabling conditions and 
minimizes their potential for development, delays. There is also a 
Family Resource Network which provides multicultural parent training 
and information, a Safe and Healthy Family program and Child Abuse 
Prevention services which is one in seven in the state, funded by the 
Department of Social Services. All of these services are free to the 
public.
  ``We can give out lots of technical information, and we do,'' says 
Marion, ``but what parents can do for other parents is empowering. When 
a new parent gets together with an experienced parent and finds out he 
is not in isolation, not alone, they connect. We strengthen families 
and enable them to handle their own situations, that is the thread of 
who and what we are.''
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Exceptional Parents 
Unlimited for receiving the Daily Points of Light Award. The service of 
emotional and educational empowerment is invaluable to families of 
disabled children. I urge my colleagues to join me in wishing this 
organization many years of continued success and service to their 
community.

                          ____________________