[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16754]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           TRIBUTE TO RUTH GRIFFIN--2000 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to 
pay tribute to Ruth Griffin for being named the ``2000 Citizen of the 
Year'' by the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce.
  Ruth's dedication to the citizens of Portsmouth and its surrounding 
communities has spanned an impressionable thirty years. She exemplifies 
what is good about today's society and proves that everyone can become 
involved in his or her community in some small way. Ruth genuinely 
cares for the people of the seacoast and thinks of everyone as her 
children to some degree. Her unfaltering commitment to assisting those 
in need or in crisis has touched the lives of many and garnered her an 
award for her efforts.
  Aside from participating in countless community service events and 
programs, Ruth served on the Portsmouth School Board and the Police 
Commission. She extended her service beyond the seacoast to all of New 
Hampshire by serving terms in the New Hampshire State House and Senate. 
She currently serves as one of the governor's executive councilors. 
Ruth gives one hundred percent of her time and efforts to bettering the 
lives of those less fortunate. Her kind-hearted care and concern for 
the well-being of all she encounters proves her deep commitment to 
making New Hampshire a better place to live. Such dedication to her 
community and state is heart-warming and truly inspirational in a time 
where civic responsibility seems to be waning.
  It is citizens like Ruth who make our communities stronger and 
exemplify what is good about America today. It is an honor to serve 
Ruth in the United States Senate.

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