[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5846]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              RECOGNIZING THE EAT'N PARK HOSPITALITY GROUP

 Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I 
extend my congratulations to the Eat'n Park Hospitality Group upon 
receiving the prestigious 2011 Restaurant Neighbor Award from the 
National Restaurant Association. Every year, the National Restaurant 
Association honors restaurant companies that have gone above and beyond 
in giving back to their communities through philanthropy and service. 
This year, Eat'n Park has been deservedly recognized for their 
charitable efforts on behalf of local children's hospitals.
  Eat'n Park restaurants have been a staple in my home State of 
Pennsylvania for over 50 years. From their humble beginnings as a 
single carhop restaurant in Pittsburgh, the Eat'n Park chain has grown 
to include 76 restaurants throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West 
Virginia, employing over 8,000 hardworking people, many of whom are my 
constituents. Over the past six decades, their delicious food and 
friendly service have soothed many a weary traveler along the 
Pennsylvania turnpike; and today, their iconic Smiley Cookies can be 
found in my front office every Wednesday, a welcome offering from home 
for visiting Pennsylvanians.
  Eat'n Park does more than provide an endless supply of delicious 
Smiley Cookies for my constituents, however. More importantly, they 
have made taking care of their community the centerpiece of their 
corporate culture through philanthropy and service. Since 1979, Eat'n 
Park has raised more than $7.5 million through their annual Caring for 
Kids Campaign, which benefits local children's hospitals in the 
tristate area. In 2010, the 32nd Annual Caring for Kids Campaign raised 
$341,365 for 13 area children's hospitals. This money is used for 
everything from pre- and neo-natal care, toys and events for the sick 
children and, in some cases, even a fund for families who would 
otherwise be unable to afford to stay in the area during their child's 
treatment. These charitable efforts have allowed Eat'n Park to touch 
thousands of lives, and make a positive impact on children and 
families, throughout Pennsylvania through more than just their food.
  It is hard to imagine an organization enjoying such remarkable and 
sustained philanthropic success without the hard work and dedication of 
the individuals it employs. Eat'n Park is a case in point. While it 
would be impossible to detail the individual contributions of the more 
than 8,000 members of the Eat'n Park family, today I would like to 
specifically recognize two important contributors to this year's Caring 
for Kids Campaign: Linda Mayou and Gloria Rack.
  Linda Mayou has been a team member of the Monogahela Eat'n Park for 
24 years, and has been Chairwoman of the Monogahela Caring for Kids 
Campaign for the past nineteen. Under Linda's leadership the Monogahela 
Eat'n Park has reigned as the top fundraising restaurant in the chain 
for the past 13 years, alone raising more than $400,000 for the 
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
  Gloria Rack has been part of the Eat'n Park team for an impressive 41 
years and has been an important part of the Caring for Kids Campaign 
since its inception. Currently a server at the Library Road restaurant, 
she is Eat'n Park's all-time Top Car Raffle Ticket Seller, having 
individually sold an estimated 30,000 car raffle tickets, raising 
$60,000 for the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Linda and Gloria's 
accomplishments are a testament to the hard work and dedication they 
have shown throughout their careers to Eat'n Park's philanthropic 
efforts.
  Again, I congratulate Eat'n Park Hospitality Group on receiving this 
award. Their commitment to local communities truly serves as an 
exemplary model for all Pennsylvanians. I applaud their efforts and 
wish them another six decades of continued success in all their 
endeavors.

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