[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 3177-3178]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO JEANNE BRADY LORENZ, FIRST ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S UNSUNG HEROINE 
                             AWARDS HONOREE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 13, 2002

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a woman who has 
dedicated so many years to serving her city and her community, Jeanne 
Lorenz. Her remarkable achievements have brought so many families and 
communities together in an effort to educate and promote racial and 
ethnic justice. As the Michigan Women's Commission held the First 
Annual Governor's Unsung Heroine Awards, they honored the contributions 
of women in communities across Michigan whose work has otherwise gone 
unrecognized. Gathering together on Tuesday, March 5, 2002, the 
Michigan Women's Commission chose to honor Jeanne Lorenz, a longtime 
friend and advocate of civil rights and community service.
  A leader and an activist all her life, Jeanne Lorenz has lived her 
life by her principles and has dedicated her life to teaching these 
principles to others. As an active member of the Interfaith Center for 
Racial Justice in Macomb

[[Page 3178]]

County for over 30 years and Secretary of its Executive Board for more 
than 20 years, her efforts for her community have been truly selfless. 
Beginning in 1971 with monitoring the local newspapers and courts and 
organizing a program called Peaceful Schools during anti-bussing 
demonstrations, Jeanne participated in a wide variety of activities to 
promote civil rights. As one of the primary cooks for the first few 
annual Martin Luther King Holiday Celebrations in Macomb County, an 
event which raised money to purchase books on racial diversity for 
school libraries, Jeanne was integral in the fight to promote racial 
understanding in her community. This determination and commitment to 
civil rights led her to help defuse racial tensions at a local high 
school at the request of the Lake Shore Schools superintendent. Forming 
an advisory group to relieve racial tensions, she helped this group 
later evolve into the Committee for Racial and Ethnic Understanding, a 
group that provided a forum for communication and sponsored ethnic 
fairs.
  Demonstrating outstanding dedication and commitment throughout the 
years, Jeanne Lorenz has also been active in community outreach, 
working in programs that have helped advance her local community. An 
active member of St. Gertrude's Church, Jeanne served as the first 
elected female president of the St. Gertrude Parish Council and served 
on the Christian Service Commission. Using her training as a home 
economics teacher, Jeanne organized a funeral luncheon program at St. 
Gertrude's Church in St. Clair Shores and prepares and serves meals 
periodically with her volunteers at the Salvation Army in Mount 
Clemens. She also cooks for the McRest Homeless Shelter program at her 
church and directs the kitchen crew at the Interfaith Care Givers' 
Annual Spaghetti Fund Raiser. Jeanne Lorenz's crusade to raise the 
standards of activism and community outreach programs is one that will 
be remembered by citizens of this community for years to come.
  I applaud Jeanne Lorenz for her leadership and commitment, and thank 
her for dedicating her life to serving her city and her community. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in saluting her for her exemplary years 
of service.

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