[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2555]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     LEAP YEAR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Anthony, NM, 
today for being the Leap Year Capital of the World. A leap year only 
occurs once every 4 years, and is something to be celebrated. Anthony 
has taken this unique day and made it a staple celebration for their 
community.
  Twenty years ago in Anthony, two neighbors who shared a common 
birthday, February 29, decided they should find other people with the 
same unique situation and have a giant birthday party; after all, it 
only happens once every 4 years. Mary Ann Brown and Birdie Lewis 
created the Worldwide Leap Year Birthday Club which now has almost 500 
members. Because of the popularity of the birthday club, they have also 
created the Worldwide Leap Year Anniversary Club for couples who 
celebrate their anniversaries on this special day.
  The Anthony Chamber of Commerce has planned several events this year 
for those with leap year birthdays and anniversaries and also for those 
with birthdays on the other 365 days of the year. The Worldwide Leap 
Year Festival will be kicked off with a parade, and then those 
attending will enjoy a leap year birthday dinner complete with birthday 
cake. Also in attendance will be Josephine Concho Abeita, a true New 
Mexico native, born in 1908, 4 years before New Mexico was even a 
State. Ms. Abeita will celebrate her 100th birthday and her 25th actual 
leap year birthday. I want to commend the citizens of Anthony and the 
creative way they have designed to promote their city. I wish them much 
success for this year's celebration.

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