[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARC GATEWAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2014

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 60th 
anniversary of The Arc Gateway. For more than six decades, The Arc 
Gateway and its dedicated staff have served those in Northwest Florida 
with developmental disabilities, providing them with increased 
opportunities and numerous first-class facilities to learn, work, play, 
and reach their full potential.
  Like so many great organizations in this country, The Arc Gateway 
started out as a grassroots movement to address an unmet community 
need. Pearl Nelson--whose son, Chris, has Down Syndrome--sought 
resources to help her son and family, but found that no such 
organization existed in Northwest Florida. So, she placed an 
advertisement in the paper to find parents of children with special 
needs and form a support group. Thus, The Arc Gateway was born. 
Together, these parents drafted a constitution, opened a one-room 
school house, and became members of the state and national Arc.
  Over the years, The Arc Gateway saw the changing needs of the local 
community and responded with a number of new programs to meet a range 
of important priorities. From this environment, the Pollak Activity 
Center and Pollak Rehabilitation Workshop were created to give adults 
with developmental disabilities places to continue to learn and grow. 
The Arc Gateway also realized the necessity of early intervention for 
children and, in 1974, began the Infant Stimulation Program. Three 
years later, the Pearl Nelson Center expanded to become the Pearl 
Nelson Preschool for children ages two through five. Another critical 
need that arose in the community was residential support programs, and 
The Arc Gateway, once again, stepped up to meet these needs and 
established the Women's Residential Training Center.
  Today, The Arc Gateway has grown from its humble beginnings to serve 
nearly 1,000 children and adults. They also provide an extremely 
impressive array of services to the community, including: the Pearl 
Nelson Child Development Center, which provides early intervention and 
pediatric services; the Pollak Training Center, where adults can 
participate in education classes, computer courses, and art 
instruction, in addition to job training; community based employment 
opportunities and services that connect people with local job options 
where they can succeed and enrich their lives; the Senior Adult Program 
at Bayview Senior Center, where senior citizens with developmental 
disabilities can access health, social, and leisure activities; as well 
as supported living and in-home support services to help individuals 
function in their own homes, and group homes that provide a great 
environment for support and companionship.
  On behalf of the United States Congress, it is an honor for me to 
recognize the tremendous success of The Arc Gateway over its 60-year 
history. Thanks to the tireless efforts of its staff, volunteers, and 
parents, The Arc Gateway has grown from a small support group to an 
irreplaceable community staple. It is a shining example of what can be 
achieved when a community comes together to meet unaddressed needs. My 
wife Vicki and I congratulate The Arc Gateway on 60 incredibly 
successful years and wish them all the best as they continue to serve 
the Northwest Florida community for years to come.

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