E764 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 5, 2018 operated over 5,000 low-income rental apart- State championship team. She genuinely man, and a star tennis player—which he con- ments in 27 developments in the City of Buf- cares for her players and wanted to see Lib- tinues to play recreationally to this day. falo. He was a Capital Programs Manager for erty relevant when it came to softball. Her In 1979, Sandy married his high school the New York State Division of Housing and team’s record is impressive. In an interview sweetheart, Lynn Baker, and they will be cele- Community Renewal (DHCR), and the Execu- earlier this week, Coach Slack said, ‘‘These brating 38 years of Marriage on June 9th. tive Director of Kensington-Bailey Neighbor- girls have no fear in them at all and this stage Sandy and Lynn together have three chil- hood Housing Services, Inc. His extensive never even bothered them.’’ Coach Slacks’ dren—Lindsey, Benjamin, and Hayley—as well public service has extended to volunteer lead- passion along with Assistant Joe Slack and as two grandchildren. ership on the following boards: Rental Assist- Katherine McAdams will continue to guide the Of everything Sandy has accomplished, his ance Corporation of Buffalo; Friends of the Lady Panthers far beyond a State title. The greatest love was to teach in the same school School of Architecture and Planning at SUNY leadership of a coach not only improves an district he attended as a child and to share his at Buffalo; Erie County Commission on Home- athlete’s performance but works to instill val- love for history by taking students on trips to lessness; Bailey-Amherst District Management ues of hard work and discipline. The commu- Washington D.C. and New York City every Association and the Downtown Neighborhood nity is proud of Coach Slack for all her accom- year. Development Corporation. plishments as a coach and a leader. To all who know him or know of him, Congrats to Liberty High School’s State Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring worked with him or at times, worked against Championship team: Jo McGinnis, Mikaelah Sandy Croft for his commitment and service to him, there is one thing we can all agree on, Burkland, Bailey Webb, Kennedy Evans, the youth and community of Nevada County. Mike put his community first. His hard-won Kamryn Turner, Abbie Knepper, Molly reputation as a community organizer, neigh- Barnette, Jaylen Prichard, Karli Beam, Baylee f borhood advocate, housing activist and all- Chandler, Sarah Lopez, Kara Cannon, Harley CONGRATULATING MARSHA SMITH around agitator has earned him our respect Davis, Abby Phillips, and Kaci West. FOR RECEIVING THE LIFETIME and gratitude. Saturday evening, hundreds of fans decked HUMANITARIAN AWARD AT THE Mr. Speaker, as family, friends and col- out in black and gold, waving flags and noise 2018 GOVERNOR’S SERVICE leagues join in ‘‘Larkinville’’ to acknowledge makers, welcomed the Lady Panthers home. AWARDS his many accomplishments on June 4, I add The Lady Panthers were escorted to the Lib- my appreciation for Michael K. Clarke’s friend- erty County line from Austin by the Liberty ship, leadership and legacy of making a real County Sheriff’s Office. Dayton Police Depart- HON. JACK BERGMAN difference in the lives of those who live in and ment picked up the team at the Dayton City love the City of Buffalo. limits then Liberty Police Department picked OF MICHIGAN f them up at the Dayton-Liberty City limits. They IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL LADY PAN- were escorted all the way to the pavilion be- Tuesday, June 5, 2018 THERS—2018 STATE SOFTBALL hind City Hall in downtown Liberty. The out- CHAMPIONS pouring of support from the City of Liberty and Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, it’s my honor surrounding communities was in true fashion to congratulate Marsha J. Smith for receiving HON. TED POE of Panther Pride. the Lifetime Humanitarian Award at the 2018 Way to go Panthers. OF TEXAS Governor’s Service Awards. Through her ex- And that’s just the way it is. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ceptional leadership and steadfast devotion to f her community, Sue has become an indispen- Tuesday, June 5, 2018 sable part of Michigan’s First District. Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, for the first RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT OF MR. SANDY CROFT The Lifetime Humanitarian Award is given time in Liberty High School history, the Lady annually by the Michigan Community Service Panthers Softball team is the Texas UIL State Commission to individuals who demonstrate a Class 4A Softball Champions. On Saturday HON. DOUG LaMALFA ‘‘lifelong commitment to community involve- afternoon, they defeated the Vernon Lady OF CALIFORNIA ment and volunteer service.’’ They have Lions in Austin with a score of 3–1. Congratu- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES shown a ‘‘tremendous passion for helping oth- lations to the Liberty High School Softball Tuesday, June 5, 2018 ers’’ and are well-known for their exceptional Team and the City of Liberty. impact in their community and state. Few are Mr. LAMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Liberty’s rich history of rugged Texas pio- as deserving of this honor as Marsha Smith. recognize the retirement of Mr. Sandy Croft neers who settled near the Trinity River spans In her 24 years as the executive director of after 34 years of dedicated service to the more than 180 years. Today, Liberty continues Rotary Charities of Traverse City, Marsha’s Pleasant Ridge School District and the com- to live up to its rich legacy and community leadership has helped the organization provide munity of Nevada County. spirit. Liberty is home to Liberty Independent more than $58 million worth of grants and Born in Pasadena, California in 1958, Sandy School District which provides outstanding transform Northern Michigan. educational opportunities for students. But Lib- spent time in Santa Barbara, and Newport erty was missing one thing, a team State Beach, before eventually settling down in Marsha was also instrumental in forming the Champion. Jerry Michalsky, sports editor with Grass Valley in 1969. He started school in the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, local newspaper The Vindicator, has been a Pleasant Ridge School District in third grade— which has led the acquisition of over 40,000 sports writer for over 24 years and never been the same school district he will retire from as acres of land and 124 miles of coastline for able to cover a State Champion. His dream a teacher this year. Graduating from Nevada environmental protection. Before her work with came true this past weekend. Union High School in 1977, he then attended Rotary Charities, Marsha was involved in the Liberty County radio station KSHN 99.9 FM Westmont College. Less than a year later, founding of the Women’s Resource Center in streamed the game live from Austin. The one tragedy struck his family when his older broth- Traverse City, which offers support for sur- and only, passionate, Bill Buchanan gave a er passed away. He moved back home to be vivors of domestic violence and sexual as- play by play for fans who were unable to with his mother shortly afterwards. Not willing sault. Marsha’s tireless devotion to public make the trek to Austin. My friend and past to give up on school, Sandy continued his service has touched the lives of countless Liberty Church of Christ preacher, Jonathan education closer to home at Sierra College. members of her community, and the impact of Sanford (now announcer for the San Antonio Soon after, he received his secondary teach- her work in her community cannot be over- Spurs), was the announcer at McCombs Field. ing credential in Social Science and English at stated. He gave the play by play live on Saturday. Sacramento State. He went on to receive cre- Mr. Speaker, it’s my honor to recognize Mary Anne Campbell, President of the Liberty dentials in both Physical Education and Indus- Marsha Smith for her decades of service to Dayton Area Chamber, kept the fans back at trial Arts. Northern Michigan and congratulate her once home up to date with her Facebook postings. Sandy is not only a successful, dedicated, again for receiving the Lifetime Humanitarian Folks in Liberty rallied behind a young team of and driven individual, but he’s also an avid Award. Michiganders can take great pride in girls who made championship history one outdoorsman. Growing up in rural Grass Val- knowing the First District is home to such a game at a time. ley, he’d often explore the old gold mines and dedicated individual. On behalf of my constitu- For the last 13 years, Liberty High School dig for remnants of Native American artifacts. ents, I wish Marsha all the best in her future Head Coach Karen Slack has dreamed of a In high school, Sandy was a hunter, a fisher- endeavors.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:49 Jun 06, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A05JN8.012 E05JNPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REMARKS June 5, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E765 ROLLING THUNDER remembered. Today, the organization has you want?’’, he would often ask the girls. branched out to include all wars and recognize ‘‘Freedom!’’ They would yell back, going back HON. TED POE that we still have an accumulated estimate of and forth louder and louder until they would all OF TEXAS 86,788 unaccounted United States veterans. collapse with laughter. ‘‘Do you young ladies IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Speaker, Rolling Thunder rides for our have your marching shoes on?’’, he would ask soldiers whose lives were given in pursuit of a them. Sheyann always had her marching Tuesday, June 5, 2018 great cause, American Freedom. I am proud shoes on. Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, each Me- to recognize these angels on bikes with hearts On March 7, 1965, Sheyann marched with morial Day, families all over the nation plan bigger than Texas. They make a difference the Southern Christian Leadership Conference their weekend barbeques and look forward to and represent all that is right and good in (SCLC) across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on enjoying a long weekend. But despite the fes- America. what later became known as Bloody Sunday. tivities, many of these folks don’t remember And that’s just the way it is. She was beaten with billy clubs and sprayed why we have the day off of work, and why we f with tear gas. Despite being terrified by the vi- celebrate this national holiday. olence that erupted, she was determined to TRIBUTE TO SHEYANN WEBB But for the members of Rolling Thunder, in continue to march. Sheyann kept attending CHRISTBURG Houston, Texas, there is no question. Each mass meetings at Brown Chapel AME Church year, they join together to help remind Ameri- and marched again with SCLC towards Mont- cans across the nation of just why it is that we HON. TERRI A. SEWELL gomery on March 21, 1965. Her enthusiasm celebrate Memorial Day. OF ALABAMA was arguably too much even for Dr. King, who Rolling Thunder is a group of patriots who IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES told her she did not have to march all the way have made it their mission to honor our mili- Tuesday, June 5, 2018 to Montgomery and had her picked up by a tary heroes by bringing awareness through a van and driven back to Selma. motorcycle demonstration in Washington, D.C. Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sheyann Webb Christburg, Sheyann’s activism continued long after the While many members are veterans, not all marches. In junior high school, she became are; some are just patriotic Americans who a leader in the American Voting Rights Move- ment. A trailblazer in every sense of the word, one of the first black students to integrate into wish to do their part. They unite together to an all-white school in Selma. She was pushed demand accountability for our POWs and Sheyann was only eight years old when she dared to march across the Edmund Pettus down stairs, called bad names, and was sus- MIAs to be identified and brought home. pended from school—all while receiving no In 1987, a group of Vietnam Veterans gath- Bridge in Selma on Bloody Sunday. She cou- support from the administration. But Sheyann ered together to discuss the thousands of re- rageously participated in the March from remained unbought and unbossed in her activ- ported sightings of Americans still living in Selma to Montgomery which led to the pas- ism throughout her life, graduating from captivity. They were disturbed by the neglect sage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Today, Tuskegee Institute in 1979. from our government. So, they decided to do we pay tribute to Sheyann as one of the Today, Sheyann continues her outreach and something to force the government and media youngest foot soldiers for justice. civic engagement through her company, KEEP to acknowledge the horrific abandonment of Sheyann was born in Selma, Alabama, in Productions Youth Development Mentoring our men and women overseas. After much 1956 to parents John and Betty Webb as one and Modeling Program, where she works with brainstorming, the veterans came up with a of eight children. Growing up in public hous- youth ages two to eighteen to help them blaze unique idea. They began reaching out to fam- ing, she attended a segregated public school. their own trails to success. Because Sheyann ily, friends, fellow veterans, and advocates to As Sheyann walked to her third grade class knows firsthand how impactful childhood op- assemble a group of patriots willing to stand one morning in January 1965, she stumbled portunities can be, her program assists youth up for our soldiers. across a meeting at Brown Chapel AME In 1988, on Memorial Day, 2,500 men and Church. There, she saw an uncommon sight in helping them build self-esteem, confidence, women rode to our Nation’s Capital on their for Alabama in the 1960s—both black and and find purpose in their lives. In addition, she motorcycles. Decked out in leather, wearing white people congregated together outside of also works with youth groups across the State shades and bandanas, waving Old Glory, and the church. Noticing how powerful the moment of Alabama to organize development work- riding 500 plus pounds of steel, they were a was and never one to shy away, a curious shops and training programs that help young terrifying but inspiring bunch. The sound of Sheyann stepped inside to find Dr. Martin Lu- people obtain the skills they need to succeed. over a thousand bikes riding in unison re- ther King’s aide Hosea Williams speaking to Sheyann remains vocal about her experi- minded many of the bombing campaign the crowd. Williams’ words instantly caught ences in the Voting Rights Movement, writing against North Vietnam dubbed Operation Roll- her attention: ‘‘If you can’t vote, then you’re the book ‘Selma, Lord, Selma’ which was ing Thunder. Very powerful. Since then, that not free, and if you ain’t free, children, then eventually turned into a movie. She speaks to small group of veterans became known as you’re a slave’’. numerous religious, community, and edu- Rolling Thunder. They are right thinking Amer- Sheyann’s participation in the mass meet- cational institutions throughout the world and icans with big hearts. ings were not free from criticism. Upon return- regularly appears on national talk shows. The number of riders has increased every ing to school, she was reprimanded for being On a personal note, I am privileged to have year, and now nearly 900,000 members be- late and attending potentially dangerous meet- known Sheyann Webb Christburg all my life long to the Rolling Thunder. There are cur- ings. The Birmingham Church bombing had as a native daughter of Selma and my former rently 90 chapters throughout 32 states. Two just taken place a few years prior, and her babysitter. Sheyann has made such an incred- of those chapters are back home in my great parents were worried that she would be a tar- ible imprint on my life as a mentor, confidante city—Houston, Texas. It’s hard to find a more get for violence. Being involved in the Voting and friend. To know Sheyann, is to be inspired patriotic state than Texas. With 8 out of 10 Rights Movement was dangerous, as it could by Sheyann. Her courage in the face of adver- Texans enlisting to serve our nation, it’s not a jeopardize her parents’ jobs or get them sity, her moral compass on issues of social surprise that Texans are joining the ‘‘Ride for kicked out of public housing. But that did not justice and her heart of gold are her trademark Freedom’’ this year. stop her, Sheyann was determined to blaze and standard bearers. I know that it is be- This year, like every year, on Memorial Day, her own trail towards freedom. cause of her influence on my life that I am Rolling Thunder chapters join together and For her 9th birthday, Sheyann asked her Alabama’s first Black Congresswoman. To say ride to our Nation’s Capital. These demonstra- parents to register to vote and stood in line thank you doesn’t seem an adequate reflec- tions are known as the ‘‘Ride for Freedom’’. with them at the local Dallas County court- tion of my sincere gratitude. This year, they celebrated the 31st Ride for house for an entire day before they were reg- On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, Freedom. The ride begins at the Pentagon on istered. Sheyann was not deterred by her the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my Memorial Day. At noon the riders, all at once, teachers either. Despite their warnings, she colleagues to join me in celebrating the tre- start their motorcycles and begin the ride to continued to skip class becoming the only mendous accomplishments and extraordinary The Wall to show their continued support for child to regularly attend the mass meetings at contributions of Sheyann Webb Christburg— our missing and fallen soldiers. They pay their Brown Chapel. an American icon of the Voting Rights Move- respects. Sheyann was often accompanied to the ment. We pay tribute to her bravery as a trail- Although the group may have started to after-school meetings by her schoolmate blazer and honor her continued efforts to moti- bring attention to our POWs/MIAs from Viet- friend Rachel West. The two girls became par- vate and uplift up children across the State of nam, they want to make sure all soldiers are ticularly close with Dr. King himself. ‘‘What do Alabama and this nation.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:49 Jun 06, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K05JN8.011 E05JNPT1 SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with REMARKS