[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16542]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING VINE VILLAGE OF NAPA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2008

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Vine 
Village of Napa County on the occasion of their 35th anniversary. Vine 
Village has done visionary work to provide people with developmental 
disabilities a comfortable place to call their home.
  Thirty-five years ago, Grace Kerson, George Kerson and Dante Bagnani 
looked around at the options they had for their developmentally 
disabled children: virtual isolation in an independent living 
situation, or institutionalization. They concluded that there had to be 
a better way; that people with developmental disabilities could have a 
comfortable home that allowed them social interaction and the same 
quality of life as their non-handicapped peers while still meeting 
their care needs.
  The fruit of their ingenuity and compassion is Vine Village in Napa, 
California. Today at Vine Village, 19 developmentally disabled adults 
live full-time on a beautiful 25 acre ranch in the Cameros region 
amongst the animals and vineyards. They also maintain a day arts and 
recreation program that can be attended by any developmentally disabled 
person in the community.
  The Kerson family remains the main benefactors of Vine Village. Grace 
and George's son, Michael and his wife, Nancy have directed Vine 
Village since 1973, and their daughter, Saanen, joined the staff in 
2007. Debbie Kerson remains a resident.
  Madam Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we thank the 
Kerson family and everyone at Vine Village for the remarkable work they 
have done for our community. Only through the hard work and generous 
contributions of countless members of our community has this program 
thrived for the past 35 years, and I know that we will see much more 
progress in the years to come.

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