E946 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 15, 2008 Most importantly, it extends a critical safety Sidney Feinberg of Deerfield Beach was in- the thrift store and assisting in the day care. net to help farmers manage production risks tegral in the building of Broward Homebound Additionally, she lends a hand mentoring ele- when facing unsustainably low prices or nat- Program, Inc., in Century Village Deerfield mentary students with behavioral issues and ural disasters. Beach, submitting the grant proposal to the has helped wounded troops recuperating in Illinois receives the 4th most nutrition dollars Florida Legislature in 1986 and being awarded Germany through her assistance to the in the nation. I was happy to see that nearly a 1-year pilot project in 1986. Broward Home- Landstuhl Hospital Care Project. three-quarters of all farm bill spending will go bound Program, Inc., has functioned inde- Paul B. Snow of Hallandale Beach has vol- toward food and nutrition programs, including pendently since 1987. Sidney has also served unteered his life following retirement to volun- $50 million for food pantries to address the ris- as president of Young Israel in Deerfield teering for the poor, elderly, homeless and dis- ing costs of food and food shortages. Beach, Flatbush, and Jamaica Estates, and is abled in south Florida, joining the Hallandale The bill also increases conservation spend- president of the Coalition for Century Village Food Pantry in 1991 and later becoming Di- ing to safeguard agricultural lands from the East and is one of the founders of the Na- rector. In that time, the Pantry has expanded pressures of urban and suburban develop- tional Association of Jewish Homes for the from helping 11 families in his first week to ment, and to protect our natural resources. Aged, among many other leadership positions. more than 7,500 families in 2007. The Pantry Finally, the bill makes critical investments in Edith Gooden-Thompson of Plantation is the also assists the elderly with completing critical Illinois’ rural communities through biofuel pro- daughter of Reverend James Gooden and benefit paperwork, offers after-school commu- duction, telecommunications and wastewater Evelyn Smith Gooden, both honored as mem- nity credits to students wishing to attend col- infrastructure projects, and healthcare. In this bers of the Broward Senior Hall of Fame in lege, and takes over 450 inner city youth to time of economic. hardship, we look to new in- 2006 and 1991, respectively. Edith has been professional sporting events. dustries to rebuild the economy of Illinois and volunteering her time with numerous schools Lesley Sobel of Margate, along with her the rest of the country. This bill puts $1 billion and community committees for over 40 years, husband Jack, recognized the need in the in programs that will leverage renewable en- and is currently serving the Aging & Disability community for a center to aid families caring ergy industry investments in new technologies Resource Center as the SHINE, Serving for someone with alzheimer’s disease and and feedstocks. It also provides $320 million Health Insurance Needs of Elders, volunteer founded the Alzheimer’s Family Center to fill for biorefineries producing advanced biofuels, coordinator. In this role, Edith guides more that need. Lesley served as president of the and $300 million for the Bioenergy Program, than 25 volunteers committed to providing agency’s board of directors for 10 years and which directly impact Illinois. services to Medicare customers, their families, has devoted a tremendous amount of time I urge my colleagues to support final pas- and caregivers. She also volunteers with and energy to the center, as she was instru- sage of this comprehensive legislation that Friends of the African-American Research Li- mental in the development of fundraisers funds important programs for rural and urban brary and Cultural Center, Florida Leaders.net, which have been held annually for over two constituents across Illinois and our Nation. and the National Coalition of 100 Black decades now. Lesley also serves on the Boards of God’s Little Acre, Senior Volunteer f Women, among many other organizations. Velma Hawthorne of Fort Lauderdale is a Services, and is active with the Margate HONORING 11 OUTSTANDING Foster Grandparent volunteer, having raised Chamber of Commerce. BROWARD COUNTY CITIZENS three of her niece’s children and two grand- Polly Wilkie of Pembroke Pines is a veteran children in addition to her three children. She volunteer, possessing both fundraising acu- HON. ROBERT WEXLER continues to help elementary children learn men and the passion to roll up her sleeves and work. Founder and current president of OF FLORIDA how to read, mentors Girl Scouts, and assists New Prestige Clubs, Polly has worked to im- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the Broward County Library with after-school prove the lives of children and homeless Thursday, May 15, 2008 programs. During the summer, Velma also vol- unteers at Kids In Distress, and she enjoys women throughout Florida. She has recruited Mr. WEXLER. Madam Speaker, today in teaching Sunday School and singing in the others and inspired them to establish Prestige Tamarac, Florida, 11 outstanding Broward el- choir at Evergreen Baptist Church. chapters elsewhere in Florida and in Atlanta, ders will be honored at the Annual Senior Hall Reverend Grant Lynn Ford, Senior Bishop Georgia, and hosts networking breakfasts for of Fame Breakfast. These 11 seniors being of the Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale, business people and inspires them to volun- honored have volunteered in their commu- has been providing dynamic and inspirational teer. Polly is a board member of the Light of nities and have spent countless hours helping leadership for his congregation and multitudes the World Clinic, the Ease Foundation Pantry, others. Their outstanding character and com- of organizations, agencies and groups for the James Jr. Fund, the Boys & Girls Club, passion have truly set them apart. Those nearly two decades. Reverend Ford was key and Crime Stoppers, and has served as com- being honored are George Bisbikos, Mary in the establishment and continuum of the missioner for Volunteer Florida. Jane Bowen Graff, Sidney Feinberg, Edith Noble A. McArtor Adult Day Care Center, the Madam Speaker, I would like to again con- Gooden-Thompson, Velma Hawthorne, Rev- first such program primarily designed for the gratulate these 11 outstanding Broward Coun- erend Grant Lynn Ford, Dr. Henry ‘‘Hank’’ needs of Broward gay and lesbian elders, and ty citizens who are being honored at the An- Mack, Marilyn Manning, Paul B. Snow, Lesley continues to serve the needs of the diverse nual Senior Hall of Fame, and thank them for Tobin, and Polly Wilkie. cross sections of Broward communities their years of service to their fellow Floridians. George Bisbikos of Sunrise, president/exec- through innovative programs, services and f utive director of the Learning Center for Vision projects. TRIBUTE TO RITA AND JACK Impaired Seniors, LCVIS, has been volun- Dr. Henry ‘‘Hank’’ Mack of Lauderhill has SINDER teering with the vision impaired for many the distinction of being one of the few living years. Legally blind himself, George has led a Buffalo Soldiers of the United States Calvary. health and finance class at the Lighthouse of A renowned civil rights fighter and past mem- HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN OF CALIFORNIA Broward County for the blind and vision im- ber of the executive committee of the Fort IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES paired, and works relentlessly to enable the Lauderdale NAACP, Dr. Mack has the distinc- blind and partially sighted in our community to tion of having stood with Dr. Martin Luther Thursday, May 15, 2008 participate in activities that sighted people take King, Jr. when he made his ‘‘I Have A Dream’’ Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay for granted. speech, and he continues to be active in tribute to two dear friends, Rita and Jack Mary Jane Bowen Graff of Fort Lauderdale opening doors for minority firms in Broward Sinder, who are being honored by Valley Beth is the epitome of a volunteer and has been County. Dr. Mack has also been recognized Shalom’s 60th Birthday of the State of Israel awarded for the over 4,000 hours of her time numerous times for his volunteer efforts and Dinner Celebration. They are being recognized she has donated to Holy Cross Hospital Auxil- serves on a number of public safety and edu- for their lifetime of commitment to Israel, the iary. An energetic, motivated, and goal/task cation councils and committees in Broward Jewish people, and Valley Beth Shalom, VBS. oriented person, Mary Jane has also been an County. In 1967, Rita and Jack made their first trip active member in Kiwanis International, serv- Marilyn Manning of Tamarac has spent the to Israel just prior to the Six-Day War. The ing as president of her local chapter in 2006– past 8 years donating her time and talents at outbreak of hostilities forced their early depar- 07; and, Mary Jane currently serves as direc- Florida Atlantic University’s Lifelong Learning ture on the eve of the war. The impact of their tor of the city of Fort Lauderdale’s Historic Program, helping with registration and greeting experience motivated them to mobilize the Preservation Advisory Board and board mem- students. She also volunteers at the Daniel American Jewish community on Israel’s be- ber of the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art. Cantor Senior Center in Tamarac, working in half.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:47 May 16, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A15MY8.062 E15MYPT1 smartinez on PROD1PC64 with REMARKS May 15, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E947 Their dedication to Israel, however, began Mara Letica Saad’s experiences are unique, tween putting food on their tables and paying long before the State of Israel was created. remarkable and in many ways, reflect her their utility bills. Born in Vienna, Rita was immersed in Juda- wonderful family’s success story. Mara was If the current trend continues, LIHEAP will ism as a young child. During WWII, when Hit- born in Germany during her father, Ilija not have enough funding for the remainder of ler invaded Austria, Rita’s father was shipped Letica’s journey toward America after escaping fiscal year 2008. Soaring energy prices com- to Poland. He fortunately escaped and her communist rule in former Yugoslavia. Soon bined with another heat wave this summer mother managed to get herself and her they reached their destination in Greenville, could be deadly if we don’t act now to fully daughters out of Austria. Rita was sent to Lon- Michigan where Mara attended the local fund this important program. don on Kindertransport and was not reunited schools and her father began to work toward This presents a particular risk to our Na- with her family until the war ended. The deter- his vision for Letica Corporation, a plastic tion’s most vulnerable, the elderly, infirm and mination, positive attitude, tremendous resil- packaging company. children. Extreme temperatures can be incred- ience, and adaptability that helped her survive Mara attended The University of Michigan ibly dangerous to those with compromised still guide her life today. Rita’s family was mi- where she earned a bachelors degree in his- physical conditions. They need to be protected raculously reunited in America, settling in Los tory. She traveled west to Seattle University to and we have the ability to protect them by fully Angeles where Rita attended Belmont High study law and remained in Washington for funding LIHEAP. School and graduated from USC with a de- several years working as a prosecutor and a This month, utility shut-off moratoriums that gree in business administration. commercial litigator. have been offered by states are set to expire Jack, raised in the Orthodox tradition by his Fortunately, Mara did not stray long from just as temperatures are rising. With past-due father, a prominent Rabbi in Michigan, earned Michigan. She returned to join the family busi- notices on the rise, there is no question that a degree in mechanical engineering from ness and after twenty years, Mara continues millions of Americans could be facing sum- Michigan State. He worked for a machine tool to successfully balance many roles as the cor- mers with no cooling options available. There company that supplied parts to the big three poration’s executive vice president, general is simply no time to waste. I urge all of my col- automakers. He was asked by an associate to counsel and secretary. Along with her father leagues to act now to fully fund LIHEAP. help send machine tools to the Jewish fighters and other family members, Mara has helped American families cannot sweat out in Israel, and together with his friends, he build Letica Corporation, now headquartered Congress’s delays on this matter. shipped tools which ultimately helped in the in Rochester, Michigan into a nationwide man- f creation of the Israeli aircraft industry and the ufacturer of paper and plastic packaging with RECOGNIZING THE 90TH Israeli Air Force. more than a dozen locations throughout the ANNIVERSARY OF TIAA–CREF Rita and Jack have been an integral force in U.S. the Jewish Community, living up to the motto, Mara Letica Saad’s accomplishments are HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY ‘‘Give of yourself first and only then ask others not limited to the business world. Throughout OF NEW YORK to join you.’’ They have generously contributed her life she has had a strong interest in her IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES their time and resources to VBS, the Jewish family’s birthplace, Croatia, and was actively Federation, Israel Bonds, AlPAC and many involved in Croatia’s independence movement. Thursday, May 15, 2008 other worthy organizations. They endowed the With her father, she organized a group of at- Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, in keep- Midrasha Program at the VBS, where Jack torneys in the U.S. to aid and supervise the ing with his philosophy that ‘‘the man who dies formerly was a member of the board of direc- 1990 elections in Croatia. Her efforts were rich thus dies disgraced,’’ Andrew Carnegie tors and currently serves on the board of trust- recognized by President George H.W. Bush took care in distributing his substantial wealth, ees and the steering committee. Rita has and she was nominated to be Ambassador to largerly toward the goal of promoting edu- chaired many special events at VBS. She is Croatia. cation. When Mr. Carnegie became a trustee past president of the San Fernando Valley An active participant in the Detroit area at Cornell University, in my home State of Women’s Division of Israel Bonds and the community, Mara serves on the board of the New York, he was appalled to learn how little Golda Meir Club, an active member of AlPAC, Motor City Lyric Opera and until recently professors earned and thought they deserved serving on its national executive board, and is served on the board of the Mackinac Center financial security. As a result, he donated $10 past president and member of the executive for Public Policy. She resides in Bloomfield million to fund a system of pensions that today board of the Women’s Alliance of Israel. Rita Hills, Michigan with her husband, Judge Henry allows colleges and universities in the United and Jack are founding members of the Amer- Saad, and they have four grown children. States to offer some of the best retirement ican Jewish University’s Wagner Program, uni- Mara Letica Saad has excelled in her pro- plans in the Nation. versity patrons and also patrons of the fession and her touched many in southeast In 1918, the Carnegie Foundation estab- Wiesenthal Center. Michigan and beyond. lished the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Rita and Jack work together in their busi- Mara Letica Saad is a loyal and loving fam- Association, known today as TIAA, a fully- ness, Jasin Co., he as a real estate developer ily member with a passion for its history, cul- funded system of pensions for professors. By and she as a real estate broker and property ture, and human dignity. Madam Speaker, I the end of its first year, 30 public and private manager. They are the proud parents of Sherri ask my colleagues to join me in honoring institutions had signed on. After World War II, and Alan and adore their three grandchildren. Mara Letica Saad, recipient of southeast facing inflation and increased longevity, TIAA Rita and Jack’s greatest joys are being with Michigan’s ‘‘Most Influential Women.’’ She created the College Retirement Equities Fund, family and friends, boating and travel. truly merits our respect and admiration. the world’s first variable annuity in 1952. As I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting f TIAA–CREF evolved over the years to meet Rita and Jack Sinder, who have devoted their new challenges, its noble mission bestowed lives to working for the survival of the Jewish STATEMENT ON LIHEAP on them by Carnegie never changed: to aid people and the State of Israel. and strengthen the institutions they serve and f HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY to provide financial products that are suited to OF NEW YORK the needs of such entities, their employees, PAYING TRIBUTE TO MARA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and their families on the best terms prac- LETICA SAAD ticable. Thursday, May 15, 2008 In his autobiography, Carnegie wrote: HON. MIKE ROGERS Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam ‘‘Many college pension fund beneficiaries and OF MICHIGAN Speaker, I rise today to call on colleagues to their widows have written to me most affecting IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES fully fund the Low Income Home Energy As- letters. These I can never destroy, for if I ever sistance Program, also known as LIHEAP, have a fit of melancholy, I know the cure lies Thursday, May 15, 2008 during this year’s appropriations process, at in re-reading these letters.’’ Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, the full $5.1 billion. TIAA–CREF continues to have a special re- I rise to honor the accomplishments of Mara LIHEAP is a vital program that helps low-in- lationship with those in higher education and Letica Saad of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, who come Americans pay their heating and cooling also serves those who work in the medical, has been honored by Crain’s Detroit Business bills. cultural, and research fields. Today TIAA– Publication as one of southeast Michigan’s Our nation is facing an escalating energy CREF celebrates its 90th Anniversary and ‘‘Most Influential Women’’ over the past five crisis. More and more, American families are continues to serve those whose life work ad- years. being forced to make difficult decisions be- vances the greater good.

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