[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21468]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING RETIRED FIRST SERGEANT LANDRES CHEEKS FOR HIS DEDICATION 
                  AND SERVICE TO COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2011

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to recognize the many accomplishments of Retired First 
Sergeant Landres Cheeks of Canton, Mississippi. First Sergeant Cheeks 
is a true patriot of our country and served as an integral part of his 
community for more than 60 years. He dedicated his life, after serving 
our country for three decades, to giving back to the people of Canton. 
His mission to economically empower, inspire and motivate the people of 
Canton is one of great resolve.
  Sergeant Cheeks served in the United States Army Medical Corps for 30 
years participating in World War II (Germany and France) and the 
Vietnam War. He is a decorated serviceman, having received the National 
Defense Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam 
Campaign Medal, Army of Occupational Medal of Germany, Bronze Star 
Medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, and 9th 
Good Service Conduct Medal. In 2001 he was awarded the Blue Cross Blue 
Shield Ageless Hero Award. This honor is given in celebration of the 
spirit and vitality of our Nation's seniors aged 65 and over who have 
proven themselves exemplarily in the areas of Community Involvement, 
Creativity, Good Neighbor, Love of Learning, New Beginnings and 
Vitality. Sgt. Cheeks has proven himself to be a role model of his 
community.
  After having been honorably discharged from the military it was later 
discovered that Sgt. Cheeks had contracted Agent Orange and developed 
post-traumatic stress syndrome. Nevertheless, Sgt. Cheeks persevered 
and began actively assisting the people of Canton with searches for 
employment and with formulating and sponsoring extracurricular 
activities for the youth of Canton. He also served as a volunteer 
crossing guard for Holy Child Jesus School in Canton for more than 25 
years.
  In 1975, Sgt. Cheeks took his 18 years of experience in coaching 
little league baseball in the military and sponsored a little league 
baseball team in Madison County (MS). He also took the discipline and 
resourcefulness learned in the United States military to organize both 
Boy and Girl Scouts' troops in Canton, Mississippi.
  Sergeant Cheeks' commitment to individual and community wealth 
building was the driving force behind much of his pledge to serving the 
citizens of Canton. To that end, he served as the Chairman of the 
Madison County Union for Progress, a private organization that helps 
citizens seek and secure employment; he served on the Board of 
Directors for the Canton Housing Authority, an organization in which he 
currently still serves as a chief advisor; he served on the G.A. 
Carmichael Family Health Center's Board of Trustees and Madison General 
Hospital's Board of Trustees. Sgt. Cheeks has also been the Utility 
Commissioner for the City of Canton for three years in addition to 
volunteering with the Full Gospel Fellowship Church under the direction 
of Pastor Toni Brooks to serve hot meals to senior citizens at their 
homes once a week. He graciously took care of the personal needs of 
several senior citizens and hosted a talk show twice per month at WONG 
radio station that addresses various issues within the community.
  Not only is Sgt. Cheeks committed to economic equality and bettering 
the community, but he is also committed to civic engagement and 
involvement. He currently sits on the Voter Registration committee and 
serves as the Chairman of the Membership Committee for the Canton 
Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People (NAACP). Even with all this on his plate, Sgt. Cheeks still made 
time to own and manage Winn-n-Cheeks Grocery Store for over twenty 
years after retiring from the Army. Sergeant Cheeks has been a pillar 
in his community more than half a century and has served our country 
honorably; I cannot find anyone nobler or better suited to have a 
federal building named in their honor.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing First 
Sergeant Landres Cheeks for his dedication to serving others.

                          ____________________