[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6245-6246]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                 HONORING TOP GEORGIA YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

 Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and 
honor two young Georgia students who have achieved national recognition 
for exemplary volunteer service in their communities. Shelarese Ruffin 
of Atlanta and Sagen Woolery of Warner Robins have just been named 
State Honorees in The 2000 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 
program, an annual honor conferred on only one high school student and 
one middle-level student in each State, the District of Columbia, and 
Puerto Rico.
  Ms. Shelarese Ruffin is being recognized for her efforts in 
developing an intervention program that targets at-risk teens. The 
program is designed to help further educate and discipline teens in 
overcoming drug and behavioral problems. Mr. Sagen Woolery is being 
honored for volunteering his time and creating ``The Kid's Kitchen,'' a 
soup kitchen for needy children and their families which is fully 
operated by kids between the ages of 8-12.

[[Page 6246]]

  In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are 
less involved in their communities than they once were, it is vital 
that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contributions these 
young people have made. People of all ages need to think more about how 
we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to 
ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young 
volunteers like Ms. Ruffin and Mr. Woolery are inspiring examples to 
all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.
  Ms. Ruffin and Mr. Woolery should be extremely proud to have been 
singled out from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. As part of 
their recognition, they will come to Washington in early May, along 
with other 2000 Spirit of Community Honorees from across the country, 
for several days of special events, including a congressional breakfast 
reception on Capitol Hill.
  I heartily applaud Ms. Ruffin and Mr. Woolery for their initiative in 
seeking to make their communities better places to live, and for the 
positive impact they have had on the lives of others.
  In addition, I also salute other young people in Georgia who were 
named Distinguished Finalists by the Prudential Spirit of Community 
Awards for their outstanding volunteer service. They are: Vidya 
Margaret Anegundi of Lilburn, Shamea Crane of Morrow, Lyndsey Miller of 
Atlanta, Jessica Nickerson of Savannah, Leslie Pruett of LaGrange, and 
Erin Shealy of Watkinsville.
  All of these young people have demonstrated a level of commitment and 
accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world and deserve 
our sincere admiration and respect. Their actions show that young 
Americans can and do play important roles in their communities, and 
that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise 
for the future.

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