[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13668]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                        TRIBUTE TO WANDA DRAPER

 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, a fellow Baltimorean and dear 
friend of mine, Wanda Queen Draper, is retiring today from WBAL-TV, 
where she has worked for the past 25 years. In a sense, Wanda and I 
grew up together professionally in a city we both love so much. But 
Wanda is not the ``retiring'' type so she is becoming the executive 
director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American 
History & Culture, an important part of Baltimore's history and culture 
that she helped to found.
  Wanda joined the Hearst Corp. as a student correspondent at the 
Baltimore News American in 1968. She worked on the Sunday paper until 
1973, when she graduated from the University of Maryland. Wanda spent 
the next 10 years as a reporter and local editor at the Baltimore Sun. 
She subsequently worked as an assignment manager and local show host at 
WJZ-TV, director of public affairs for the Governor's office, and 
director of community affairs for the National Aquarium in Baltimore. 
In 1991, she joined WBAL-TV as public affairs manager and was 
ultimately promoted to director of programming and public affairs, 
making her responsible for all of the station's programming.
  Wanda has won numerous local and national awards over the years and 
has been cited by the National Association of Broadcasters for her 
outstanding achievements. In short, she has had a stellar career. But 
she is also very active in several community endeavors, and this is 
what I would like to highlight: her tireless dedication to the people 
of Baltimore, especially those who are less fortunate. Wanda serves on 
the boards of the WBAL Kids Campaign, St. Timothy's School, the 
Brigance Brigade Foundation, and Journey Home. The WBAL Kids Campaign 
is involved in many community events, the largest of which is the Coats 
for Kids program each fall. Wanda was able to partner with Burlington 
Coat Factory and has provided over 300,000 children with coats over the 
past 13 years. Over the last 3 years, with Wanda's help, the Brigance 
Brigade has provided services to more than 40,000 ALS survivors and has 
raised over $1.5 million. The Journey Home campaign supports the 
mayor's 10-year plan to end homelessness in Baltimore. Over the past 6 
years, the campaign has assisted 2,000 people, and Wanda has helped to 
raise $6 million. For the past 8 years, she has been active in the St. 
Vincent DePaul Empty Bowls program, which has helped to feed 440,000 
people and raised more than $2 million.
  Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: ``To laugh often and much; To win the 
respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn 
the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false 
friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the 
world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a 
redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier 
because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.''
  By these measures, Wanda has been wildly successful. Wanda is married 
to Dr. Robert Draper and is surrounded by her wonderful family each and 
every day. But it seems that the residents of Baltimore are a part of 
her extended family, and she is determined that they will all ``breathe 
easier'' because of her efforts on their behalf. I ask my Senate 
colleagues to join me in thanking Wanda Draper for her extraordinary 
professional and personal commitment to the people and city of 
Baltimore and congratulating her as she moves on to her next great 
endeavor.

                          ____________________