[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 27708]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO EDEN SUTLEY

 Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to 
honor a very special Louisianian, Eden Sutley, who has served her State 
and Nation with great distinction. Eden is a Lafayette, LA, native who 
is currently a junior at the George Washington University in 
Washington, DC. Just like Louisiana's senior Senator, Eden Sutley is a 
proud member of the Delta Gamma Fraternity.
  Winston Churchill, one of the great figures of World War II, once 
said: ``We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we 
give.''
  Eden Sutley may not know what she wants to do to earn a living after 
college, but her volunteer spirit and desire to give back to the 
``greatest generation'' precisely highlights the sentiment to which Mr. 
Churchill refers.
  At the urging of her father, 2 years ago Eden became involved with 
Louisiana HonorAir Program. This group, based in Eden's hometown of 
Lafayette, honors surviving World War II veterans by giving them an 
opportunity to see the Washington, DC, memorials dedicated to their 
service. After flying up from Louisiana, the veterans visit the World 
War II, Korea, Vietnam and Iwo Jima memorials and travel to Arlington 
National Cemetery.
  Eden Sutley has played an important role during HonorAir's trips to 
Washington, DC. For each visit, Eden organizes about 40 of her sorority 
sisters to come out and assist these World War II heroes. They help by 
pushing wheelchairs, taking pictures, and handing out water as these 
Louisiana World War II veterans experience the Nation's Capital, many 
for the first time.
  In all, Eden has recruited over 200 sorority sisters to lend a hand 
to our HonorAir veterans. They have volunteered on more than a dozen 
Saturdays since 2007, helping over 1,000 veterans. There have been 
seven different flights this year alone, including the last trip of the 
year, which occurred October 24.
  Volunteering with HonorAir to assist the World War II veterans is so 
popular among her fellow Delta Gammas that some sisters come back to 
help out even after they have graduated. Eden has also inspired two 
other Louisianians, Terricia Soyombo and Brooke Oschner, who are also 
Delta Gammas at George Washington University, to become part of this 
effort. Through her role as Delta Gamma president at George Washington, 
Eden has been instrumental in getting other Greek organizations 
involved, as well.
  Eden has demonstrated a passion for public service that serves as a 
model for college students across our great country. On behalf of 
Louisiana HonorAir and our entire State, I thank Eden for her 
leadership, for her willingness to give back, and for inspiring others 
to do the same.

                          ____________________