[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 15]
[EX]
[Pages 21557-21558]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    RAINBOWS FOR ALL CHILDREN--GUAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2001

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, grieving is a natural process brought 
about by emotional loss. Unexpressed grief usually takes its toll with 
problems surfacing in a person's behavior, academic performance, as 
well as his or her physical and emotional condition. It is for this 
reason that an international not-for-profit organization was instituted 
to offer training and curricula for establishing a peer support group 
for children and adults who are undergoing painful transitions in their 
family life. Rainbows For All Children has helped guide individuals 
through the initial feelings of hurt towards a stage of healing in 
order to foster a feeling of hope. The objective of this program is to 
furnish participants with an understanding of their new family unit, to 
assist in building a stronger sense of self-esteem and to direct them 
towards a healthy resolution of the changes that have taken place in 
their personal lives.
  For the past thirteen years, the organization's local chapter, 
Rainbows For All Children--Guam, has been able to help thousands of 
children, youth, and adults in my

[[Page 21558]]

home island of Guam. Throughout this period, the chapter's director, 
Mrs. Marie Virata Holloran, a registered nurse, has trained over four 
hundred volunteers assigned to Guam's public schools.
  The individual problems encountered by the volunteers usually stem 
from a difficult transition in life caused by the loss of a loved one 
caused by a wide range of situations such as death, divorce, 
separation, abandonment, incarceration, illnesses and accidents. 
Administered free of charge, the program consists of fourteen to 
eighteen week sessions gradually guiding individuals through the 
process of grief and loss.
  Through lean times caused by lack of funding, the Rainbows 
organization managed to carry on their admirable work. As the group 
mainly relies upon privately donated funds and volunteer service, the 
list of coordinators and facilitators oftentimes fluctuates. At present 
time 250 committed and caring Rainbow volunteers donate their time to 
help grieving children on Guam. In the past year alone, Rainbows has 
helped 880 children from thirteen public schools.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 
Guam Chapter of Rainbows For All Children. I commend them for excellent 
work and their contributions to our island. I would like to submit for 
the Record, the names of Certified Site Coordinators currently involved 
with Rainbows in Guam's public schools.

                    Rainbows For All Children--Guam

       Marie Virata Holloran, RN, Registered Rainbows Local 
     Director, Elaine Eclavea, Early Intervention System.
       Certified Site Coordinators: Annie Arevalo, Tamuning 
     Elementary School; Rosie Sgambelluri, Lyndon B. Johnson 
     Elementary School; Hernalin Analista, Harry Truman Elementary 
     School; Regina Ragan, Agueda Johnston Middle School; Alma 
     Neglerio, Marcial A. Sablan (Agat) Elementary School; Anna 
     Marie Toves, Ordot Chalan Pago Elementary School; Frank Meno, 
     F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School; (Yigo) Tess Borja, Upi 
     Elementary School; Marie Salas, Agana Heights Elementary 
     School; Cathy Escalera, M.U. Lujan Elementary School; Nichol 
     Tanaka Napoleon, Carbullido Elementary School; Amy Leddy, 
     Wettengel Elementary School; Josepha Lizama, Mt. Santa Rosa 
     Elementary School; Diana Dungca, Astumbo Elementary School; 
     Debbie Abrenica, J.Q. San Miguel Elementary School and 
     Michelle dela Rosa, George Washington High School.

     

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