[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15787]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO IRONWOOD AARP CHAPTER #556 IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 35TH YEAR 
                               OF SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 2003

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a group of 
senior citizens who have kept their Ironwood American Association of 
Retired Persons Chapter #556 active and healthy for 35 years in 
Ironwood, Michigan.
  Some of the charter members who were there when AARP Chapter #556 was 
first organized are still active members. Current Chapter President Ray 
Maurin presides over meetings the first Monday of every month at the 
Ironwood Senior Center.
  Chapter #556 is involved every year in a workshop that brings Upper 
Peninsula AARP chapter presidents and others from Michigan AARP 
together, usually in the Ironwood area, to discuss legislative issues. 
These workshops are open to the public, are always informative and 
often lead to enthusiastic political discussions.
  On an individual level, members of Chapter #556 this year joined 
forces with Lake Superior AARP Chapter #1791 to improve home safety for 
52 homebound senior citizens by providing and installing home smoke 
detectors. This program was so popular that Grace Nurkkala, Michigan 
AARP Chapters Specialist, says she has a list of 25 additional seniors 
who have asked to be included.
  Members of Chapters #556 and #1791 have also recently delivered 
cheerful, bright coffee mugs and live plants to brighten the lives of 
52 seniors who receive home meal delivery through the Ironwood Senior 
Center.
  As they stay active and engaged in political activity, reach out to 
their neighbors and join together for fellowship and action on issues 
important to senior citizens, the many members of Ironwood AARP Chapter 
#556 can be proud of their 35 year record of accomplishment on behalf 
of seniors.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that you and the other members of this body will 
join me in extending our heartiest congratulations to Ironwood AARP 
Chapter #556 on the 35th anniversary of its organization.

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