[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20840]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              RECOGNITION OF THE ``LIGHT THE NIGHT'' WALK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DEBORAH PRYCE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 4, 2000

  Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues to will be interested 
in the following comments made by Mr. Ken Barun, President and CEO of 
Ronald McDonald House Charities on the ``Light the Night'' walk held on 
September 21, 2000, that raised funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma 
Society. I submit Mr. Barun's remarks for the Record:

       You, the ``Light the Night'' walkers--teams and 
     individuals--are the ones truly making a difference tonight. 
     Through your participation in events such as this, the 
     Leukemia & Lymphona Society continues to raise funds and 
     combat cancers that have touched so many of us--our families, 
     our friends--those whom we know or had the pleasure of once 
     knowing.
       I think it's fate that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and 
     Ronald McDonald House Charities have come together for this 
     wonderful fundraiser. Both organizations care deeply about 
     children and their families; both provide comfort and care 
     when needed; and both want to see an end to this terrible 
     disease called cancer.
       To give you a brief background about Ronald McDonald House 
     Charities, our mission is to improve the health and wellness 
     of children around the world. It is a mission that began with 
     the care and compassion of dedicated people who, like 
     McDonald's Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, dared to dream.
       Ray once dreamed of having a thousand McDonald's 
     restaurants in the U.S. We now have more than 25,000 
     restaurants in 119 countries. Similarly, the people who 
     started Ronald McDonald House Charities, had the dream of 
     having just one Ronald McDonald House--the one that opened in 
     Philadelphia in 1974. We now have more than 200 Houses around 
     the world in 18 countries.
       As the network of Ronald McDonald Houses grows, so does our 
     role as a Charity. To date, through our global organization 
     and more than 160 local Chapters in 32 countries, we've 
     awarded more than 225 million dollars in grants. In addition, 
     we receive the donation of time from an army of well over 
     25,000 volunteers worldwide.
       Volunteers like you. People who effect positive change. 
     Which brings me back to why we are all here. Leukemia is the 
     number one disease that kills our children. Think about 
     that--the number one disease. However, there is hope: Because 
     of efforts like yours tonight, and the efforts of others like 
     you, there's been enough funding to sustain ongoing research, 
     research that has tripled the leukemia survival rate in the 
     last 39 years. That is an astonishing accomplishment. And 
     you, members and volunteers of the Leukemia & Lymphoma 
     Society, should be proud to be a part of that.
       I'd like to thank the McDonald's region in Washington and 
     Baltimore and all its McDonald's franchisees for supporting 
     and participating in tonight's ``Light the Night'' Walk with 
     us. I'd also like to thank the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 
     for all your terrific work in organizing this event. And 
     finally, to those of you who have come out here tonight, 
     donned your walking shoes and have collected thousands and 
     thousands of dollars, a very special, heartfelt thank you.
       I feel truly honored to be in your company.

       

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