[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7917]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BOB LIGOURI

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, 7 years ago, Senator Jim Jeffords 
recruited me to join him as a volunteer for a literacy program in 
Washington, DC, called Everybody Wins! The program is simple--spend one 
lunch hour a week at an elementary school reading with a child. This is 
the ultimate power lunch.
  It didn't take long and I was hooked. It is the most important and 
rewarding hour of my week. I also thought this was a program we needed 
in Iowa.
  Three years ago, under the leadership of Bob Ligouri, Everybody Wins! 
Iowa was launched. The Iowa program started as a small pilot program in 
three central Iowa elementary schools involving 15 students and 15 
adults. From those humble beginnings, Everybody Wins! Iowa has grown to 
over 200 volunteers in 12 central Iowa schools.
  Starting a brand new non-profit organization is not easy. There were 
volunteers to recruit, schools to identify, a board to create, 
paperwork to file and money to raise. Bob Ligouri built a solid 
foundation for Everybody Wins! Iowa. He adapted the national program to 
better fit our State and put the organization on the right track for 
future growth.
  Everybody Wins! Iowa was fortunate to have the opportunity to work 
with Bob. He has long experience working with children as a coach of 
various athletic teams. He also led Special Olympics here in Iowa for 
10 years building it into an organization with 10,000 volunteers and 
athletes.
  Bob Ligouri served as the executive director and later, as president 
of the board of directors for Everybody Wins! Iowa for over 3 years. He 
planted the seeds, nurtured them and watched them blossom into a strong 
literacy and mentoring organization.
  As Bob Ligouri moves on to dedicate more time to a new business 
venture, I express my sincere gratitude for the outstanding job he has 
done for Everybody Wins! Iowa. His dedication and leadership was 
critical to the Iowa program and he will be missed.

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