[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 17]
[House]
[Page 22714]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    WEST GEORGIA BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the West Georgia 
Boys and Girls Club, an exemplary community organization in the 11th 
District of Georgia.
  The West Georgia Club serves the youth of Troup and Meriwether 
counties, and it does so with distinction. The four facilities operated 
by the Boys and Girls Club are always buzzing with students, 
volunteers, friends and events.
  On an average day, you will find a host of activities that contribute 
to the Boys and Girls Club's goal of providing every child with the 
essential tools needed for success and a bright future.
  After-school tutoring gives students the skills they need to achieve. 
Friday night movies and social events give teens an alternative to 
street life. Service projects, leadership and skill development, even 
National Kids Day are all part of what makes the West Georgia Boys and 
Girls Club a true leader in community involvement and service.
  And do not just take my word for it. The West Georgia Club has been 
recognized and honored on a national level for their amazing work with 
the youth of Georgia. At the 2005 Boys and Girls Club National 
Conference in California this year, the West Georgia club won seven 
national awards. That is right, seven awards.
  These included awards for public service announcements, special 
events, web page, newsletter and even their annual telethon, which I 
was proud to participate in this year. Most impressively, the West 
Georgia Boys and Girls Club was selected as the best overall program 
for clubs with a budget under $400,000.
  Madam Speaker, an organization is only as successful as the men and 
women who commit their time to making it great. And the West Georgia 
Club has a first rate team. Chris Patton and Wally West oversee the 
club, and its board members, Judy Wilkerson, Linda Griffies, Emmitt 
Clark, Mel Jackson-Kendrick, Frank Walls, Rev. Dalton Hammock, Charlie 
Martin and the many other volunteers from Troup and Meriwether counties 
give their time to ensure this club is one of the best in the Nation.
  It is the commitment and creativity of community organizations like 
the West Georgia Boys and Girls Club that make our neighborhoods more 
than simply a collection of homes and buildings. The American spirit is 
alive and well at the West Georgia Club, and the beneficiaries in our 
community have a brighter future because of the club's dedication.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me in thanking the West Georgia 
Boys and Girls Club for their creativity, their commitment and, above 
all, their willingness to help those in need.

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