[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              ARLENE BUSH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAULSEN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  I rise to commemorate the service of my dear friend Arlene Bush, who 
is entering her 30th year as a member of the Bloomington School Board 
of Minnesota. Arlene, who turns 80 later on this year, first joined the 
school board in 1981. And while times have changed since then, Arlene's 
dedication to Bloomington students and the schools that they attend has 
not.
  She started her own educational journey in a small two-room 
schoolhouse in the tiny town of Odin, Minnesota. Later, she moved to 
Minneapolis, where she graduated from high school in 1948. Later, she 
got married and she settled in Bloomington, Minnesota, which at that 
time was a growing suburb of Minneapolis, where she raised six 
daughters before beginning her long career in public service.
  Arlene's big heart and humble demeanor immediately endeared her to 
new friends. She makes a point to be a community leader not only 
through the duties of her position but by being present at sporting 
events, plays, pep fests, musicals, concerts, and ceremonies 
celebrating the young people of Bloomington. She not only advocates for 
Bloomington's students on the board, she encourages them personally 
every chance she gets.
  She understands that children need not only financial and operational 
support in their education; she exemplifies a leader who invests in 
their interests, recognizes their achievements, and comforts them in 
times of adversity.
  Arlene's milestone isn't one that can be measured in the number of 
hours logged in meetings or the number of terms that she's served but 
rather in the lives of the thousands, the literally thousands of 
students that have benefited from her commitment to education.
  Over the years, the name ``Arlene Bush'' has become synonymous with 
education among the generations of Bloomington students whose lives 
have been enriched through her many years of service. She's a pillar of 
the community whose presence on the school board has absolutely 
provided a steady hand as times have changed.
  As a father with four daughters in public schools myself, it is 
reassuring to know there are dedicated public servants like Arlene out 
there working to give our children the best education possible. And 
like Arlene, these unsung heroes don't do it for the glory or 
admiration. They do it simply because they share a common desire to 
better our community.
  And these kind souls prove that you don't have to be a congressman or 
a senator to change the world or touch someone's life. Inside all of us 
is the ability to contribute to the public good and to make the world a 
better place for future generations.
  When asked recently to look back on her many years of service on the 
school board, Arlene replied in very true Minnesota fashion. She wasn't 
boastful or proud but rather humbled. She said that she was thankful 
for the opportunity to serve.
  Mr. Speaker, as I close, I just want to take the time to let Arlene 
know that we, too, are thankful--thankful for her desire to serve.

                          ____________________