[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2337]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE MILFORD CHAPTER OF THE LINKS INCORPORATED AS THEY 
                    CELEBRATE THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 26, 2016

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to rise today to 
join all of those gathered in honoring the life and legacy of Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr. Across Connecticut there will be a multitude of 
events paying tribute to Dr. King, but in Milford, Connecticut a 
remarkable milestone for an outstanding organization will also be 
celebrated. With this year's ``Reflections XXX: A Tribute to Reverend 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'' the Milford Chapter of The Links 
Incorporated will mark the organization's 30th Anniversary and it is 
with great pride that I stand today to extend my deepest thanks and 
appreciation to them for their invaluable contributions to the Milford 
community.
  The Milford Chapter is one of two hundred eighty two chapters of The 
Links Incorporated throughout the United States and in the Commonwealth 
of the Bahamas. Established in 1946, this non-profit organization 
internationally includes 14,000 professional women of color who are 
committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and 
economic survival of African Americans and others of African ancestry.
  For each of the last thirty years, the Milford Chapter has sponsored 
this remembrance event. In this traditional time of re-evaluation and 
reflection, this annual event reminds us all to consider how we, 
whether as an individual or in a larger group, can make more of a 
difference in the lives of others and strengthen the bonds of 
friendship and sense of harmony within our communities. Yet this is 
only one of many ways the Milford Chapter supports and enriches our 
community.
  The five guiding ``facets'' for The Links Incorporated include 
Service to Youth, Health and Human Services, National Trends and 
Services, International Trends and Services, and The Arts. Throughout 
the year Milford Links members sponsor and participate in a variety of 
events and projects that promote these five pillars. From supporting 
projects to help recovery efforts in Haiti and bring irrigation systems 
to farmers in Africa to raising awareness on breast cancer and 
sponsoring scholarships and promoting literacy, Milford Links members 
are not only making a difference in the lives of others but also 
inspiring a new generation to give back to their community.
  Today, a monument stands--the first monument on the National Mall not 
dedicated to a white man, a war, or a president--a great granite 
sculpture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And in the line of sight just 
beyond that statue, you can make out the columns of the Lincoln 
Memorial. In his iconic speech on the steps of that memorial, Dr. King 
spoke of ``the fierce urgency of now.'' He did not just mean a moment 
in 1963. Over the course of its thirty year history, the Milford 
Chapter of The Links Incorporated has worked with ``the fierce urgency 
of now'' to make our community a better place to live, learn, and grow.
  I am honored to rise today and extend my sincere thanks and 
appreciation to the Milford Chapter of The Links Incorporated for all 
of their good work on behalf of our community. Theirs is a legacy of 
service and generosity that serves as an inspiration to us all. My 
heartfelt congratulations on their 30th Anniversary and very best 
wishes for continued success.

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