[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9578]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 IN HONOR OF RUTH BURNETT OF FAIRBANKS

  Mr. STEVENS. Madam President, I rise today to bring to the Senate's 
attention the dedicated service of one of my employees and great 
friends, Ruth Burnett. Ruth runs my Fairbanks office and has been a 
fixture with her husband, Wally, in the Fairbanks community for almost 
50 years. All of her children have worked in my Washington office at 
one time or another, but currently Ruth is the only Burnett on my 
staff.
  April 19 is Ruth's birthday and one which commemorates a year that 
she will be happy to have behind her--as Queen Elizabeth once remarked, 
``an annum horribulous.'' Last fall, Ruth was diagnosed with ovarian 
cancer, underwent surgery, and immediately began an aggressive 
treatment of chemotherapy. By her birthday next week she will have 
completed her chemotherapy protocol and will begin rebuilding her 
strength. Her son Shane and daughters Pam and Suzy will join Wally and 
Ruth in Fairbanks to celebrate her birthday.
  I could go on about Ruth's courage, her ever-optimistic outlook on 
life, her faith, and her boundless energy, but I think an article 
written by her 10-year-old granddaughter Emily Combs captures Ruth 
quite well. Catherine and I and my entire staff who work with Ruth on a 
daily basis send her our warmest wishes for a happy birthday and the 
beginning of a great new year.
  I know the Senate joins me in wishing Ruth and her family well on the 
occasion of her birthday and in wishing her a speedy recovery.
  I ask unanimous consent to print a short story by Emily Combs.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows;

                          The Incredible Jump

                  (By Emily Combs, September 19, 2002)

       We looked ahead as we were peddling away when we saw a 
     pretty steep mound of dirt. Surprisingly my grandma yelled 
     excitedly, ``Let's jump it!'' I wanted to shout ``no,'' but 
     no one can change grandma's mind once it's set. My grandma 
     Ruth is amazing! She is sixty-eight years old, has brown 
     hair, goes to church every Sunday and works for U.S. Senator 
     Ted Stevens.
       Apart from being a great athlete, my grandma looks 
     fantastic. Her eyes are a brilliant blue, and have a sparkle 
     to them when something exciting is going to happen. My 
     grandma's hair is a walnut brown. Shed stands about five feet 
     seven inches tall.
       In addition, going to church is one of the biggest parts in 
     my grandma's life. She goes to church every Sunday and is an 
     elder at the church. Whenever they need help with a sermon, 
     she's always willing to help as much as possible. She helps 
     collect the offerings, and when I am in Alaska, I help her.
       After my grandma was mayor of Fairbanks, she became an 
     assistant for U.S. Senator Ted Stevens. She runs his office 
     in Fairbanks. She helps people in the community contact the 
     government or Senator Stevens. If a person needs help 
     concerning a problem with the government, my grandma will 
     help them.
       My grandma and I saw the jump coming closer. We were on the 
     jump, then crash! I went off crooked into some bushes, but my 
     grandma was still going straight. That does not surprise me 
     because my grandma is so incredible. My grandma Ruth is very 
     beautiful and never misses a day of church or work. I wish 
     everyone had a great grandma.

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