[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 23]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 32211]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE STATE WINNER AND NATIONAL FINALIST FOR RECOGNITION OF 
                OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JERRY WELLER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 8, 2003

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Monical's Pizza 
Corporation (Monical's) for being the State winner and national 
finalist for Recognition of Outstanding Commitment to the Community and 
being awarded the Restaurant Neighbor Awards. This is the 5th annual 
year for the award.
  One day a week, for 17 weeks, youths participating in the D.A.R.E. 
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program receive an education on drug 
abuse resistance. Monical's saw this as an opportunity to help reach 
out to youths before drug addiction starts. Since 1990, the restaurant 
has handed out more than 200,000 free pizza certificates to children 
who complete the D.A.R.E. program--a contribution totaling more than $1 
million.
  Monical's commitment to D.A.R.E. began with a simple collaboration 
with the Lincoln, Illinois, police department to donate pizzas to 
students who graduated from D.A.R.E. Today, Monical's extends this 
opportunity to every community D.A.R.E. program located near one of 
their 50-plus restaurants. This translates into a value of more than $1 
million. Students also receive a coupon for a Monical's Family Pleaser 
so they can bring the entire family for a celebration of their 
graduation.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge this body to identify and recognize other 
companies in their own districts whose actions have so greatly 
benefitted and strengthened America's families and communities.

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