[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20368-20369]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    SHINING EXAMPLES OF VOLUNTEERISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor several 
organizations and individuals in my congressional district who have 
done an extraordinary job of serving our communities.
  It is my pleasure to recognize Marilyn Adamo, Monsignor Emilio 
Vallina, the Brickell Homeowners Association, John ``Footy'' Cross, 
Steve Safron, Davrye Gibson-Smith and the Miami Heat basketball team, 
Norman Lipoff, Johnathan Mayer, and Debra Berger, just a few shining 
examples of what altruism and selflessness are all about.
  For example, Marilyn Adamo, working through Protect America's 
Children, should be commended for her work on passage of the Jennifer 
Act, a law protecting children against crimes and abductions.
  Marilyn Adamo will soon begin a national campaign to ensure that the 
critical importance of the Jennifer Act is extended to every 
jurisdiction nationwide. The Jennifer Act authorizes the police and 
prosecutors to apprehend and to convict child stalkers and sexual 
predators before the child's physical safety is irreversibly placed in 
harm's way.
  The law makes any credible threat or intentional stalking of children 
under 16 years of age a third degree felony.
  I am happy to recognize these selfless efforts just as I am pleased 
to also recognize humanitarian efforts by individuals like Monsignor 
Emilio Vallina, the first recipient of the Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh 
Humanitarian Award.
  This award, established by the Mercy Hospital Foundation, recognizes 
an individual displaying a deep commitment to our community and whose 
devotion has shown great acts of love, compassion and honor.
  I want to thank Monsignor Vallina for the positive impact he has had 
on the lives of so many people. I am glad to know he is being honored 
for his devotion to the needy and that he has made such positive 
impacts on the lives of so many in South Florida.
  Individuals sharing the values of self-sacrifice like the Monsignor, 
I am also happy to say, sometimes also join forces to work together 
toward similar goals.
  A great example is the Brickell Homeowners Association made up of 
residents along downtown Miami's Brickell Avenue corridor and those on 
Brickell Key. This coalition of over 30 condominium associations has 
helped build a community and mobilize support for critical quality-of-
life matters. The BHA has tackled issues affecting our area and has 
worked closely with professionals and elected officials to find 
solutions that enhance the residential character of their neighborhood.
  The BHA President Tory Jacobs, Vice President Veena Panjabi, 
Treasurer Norman Mininberg, Secretary Mac Seligman, and Chairperson 
Herbert Bailey do a great job of leading efforts to help 16,000 
residents from the Miami River to the Rickenbacker Causeway and are 
shining examples of volunteerism and activism.
  In today's world these two virtues are increasingly important and one 
man who steps forward every year in embodying them is John ``Footy'' 
Cross. Footy, along with Steve Safron, head Here's Help, a local drug 
rehab center fighting drug abuse in our community.
  Every year, Footy and Steve Safron together with Y-100 radio station 
have the Bubbles and Bones event, a festival drawing over 50,000 people 
each time. The event features a competition with South Florida 
restaurants, national entertainment, an amusement area, and a celebrity 
auction, with the proceeds benefiting Here's Help.

[[Page 20369]]

  I have mentioned just a few common individuals exemplifying an 
uncommon charitable character. However, when organizations like the 
Miami Heat basketball team, that have already had national recognition 
come together to help our community, it is indeed noteworthy. The Miami 
Heat moved forward to do something constructive about low test scores 
and performance ratings in some of our Miami-Dade County Public 
Schools.
  The Miami Heat sponsors the HEAT Academy, an after-school enrichment 
program offering tutoring in reading and math to students in our 
community attending low-performance schools in mostly minority-
populated areas.
  As a former educator, I take my hat off to the Miami Heat and Davrye 
Gibson-Smith of the HEAT Academy for their efforts in assisting all 
children and their families in pursuit of a quality education and a 
positive environment.

                              {time}  2350

  But I could not conclude my statement without also congratulating 
Project Interchange, an institution devoted to educating American 
policymakers and opinion leaders about Israel through firsthand 
experience. Norman Lipoff of Coconut Grove and Jonathan Mayer of Miami 
Beach along with Deborah Berger, founder of Project Interchange, are 
celebrating its 20th year. This year Ms. Berger will be honored for her 
outstanding career dedicated to educating leaders of all races through 
intensive seminars by advocating acceptance and respect.
  Together with Ms. Berger, Mr. Lipoff and Mr. Mayer have been 
instrumental in sending nearly 3,000 leaders to the Interchange's crash 
course seminar that for the past 20 years has encouraged and maintained 
pluralism and tolerance in the United States. It is a pleasure today 
for me to commend these individuals. They are shining examples of what 
makes this country great.

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