[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23297]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 23297]]

          TRIBUTE TO THE STUDENTS OF SOUTH FORK SCHOOL SYSTEM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 28, 2001

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the students 
of South Fork School System in Kincaid, Illinois, and their important 
and heartwarming efforts to help those affected by terrorism.
  On October 11, 2001, President Bush made a request of the children of 
America. He challenged each of them to earn and send in one dollar. 
This money, sent by the kindness of the children of the United States, 
will be used to reach out to the unfortunate children in far off 
Afghanistan.
  The students of South Fork School heard and met that challenge. I 
recently received a check of $533.00, made out to America's Fund for 
Afghan Children--that's more than one dollar for each student in South 
Fork, and more than our President requested.
  The students, parents, faculty, and members of the Kincaid community 
should be recognized for this fine effort. The terrorists believed they 
could accomplish their goals with the murder of American innocents; but 
the American citizens have responded with aid to the innocents of 
Afghanistan. Nothing else could better show how utterly Al Qaeda has 
failed.
  Mr. Speaker, as President Bush said in his announcement of the Fund 
for Afghan Children, ``One of the truest weapons that we have against 
terrorism is to show the world the true strength of character of the 
American people.'' The children of South Fork have shown that 
character, and they deserve our thanks. May God bless them, and may God 
bless the United States of America.

                          ____________________