[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9393]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          THOMASVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA--A 2013 ALL-AMERICA CITY

  (Mr. HUDSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the city of 
Thomasville, North Carolina, for being named a 2013 ``All-America 
City.''
  Thomasville, built on a foundation of furniture manufacturing and 
textiles, was hit hard over the last 25 years by job losses and plant 
closings. Instead of folding during trying economic times, the city 
took the challenge head-on and rallied together, as a community, to 
rebuild and bounce back.
  The leadership of the entire community, including Mayor Joe Bennett 
and Chamber of Commerce President Doug Croft, were instrumental in 
advancing new projects that made Thomasville stand out as an All-
America City.
  Initiatives such as Envision 2020, a 20-year development plan for the 
city; Children At Play, a program to redevelop the city's parks to 
reduce crime; and Project Divine Interruption, which helps homeless 
students in the city, are just a few examples of the city's resolve to 
succeed.
  Through the fortitude of its citizens, Thomasville stands as a 
shining example of what can happen when an entire community 
collaborates for the betterment of its citizens.
  I'm proud to represent Thomasville, North Carolina, and I 
congratulate them on truly practicing the values that make America 
great.

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