[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3466]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MS. EVELYN CHEATHAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2016

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. 
Evelyn Cheatham whom I have named Woman of the Year in Sonoma County, 
California. Since Ms. Cheatham moved to Sonoma 27 years ago, she has 
served Sonoma residents in a variety of ways, including opening a 
culinary training program that focuses on empowering young people to 
pursue a successful future.
  After establishing her reputation as a high-profile chef cooking for 
celebrities, Ms. Cheatham decided to start a new venture that would 
help the young people of Sonoma County. She started Worth Our Weight 
(W.O.W.), which provides free training to individuals 16 to 24 years 
old who have dealt with challenges such as foster care, homelessness, 
or legal trouble. In addition to enabling young people to pursue a 
skilled profession in culinary training, Ms. Cheatham offers a social 
circle to the young people at the restaurant, where they are less 
likely to be exposed to gangs or violence. Furthermore, she ensures the 
young people get at least one solid meal a day, a necessity many of her 
students lack.
  Her work has not been limited to teaching cooking. Ms. Cheatham 
serves on the Community and Local Law Enforcement Task Force, where she 
facilitates communication between law officers and citizens of Sonoma 
County.
  Mr. Speaker, Evelyn Cheatham has selflessly invested her time and 
energy into bettering the futures of many of Sonoma County's most 
vulnerable young people. Therefore, it is fitting and proper that we 
thank and honor her dedication here today.

                          ____________________