E320 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 12, 2002 the jobsite. Her work with Delta Sigma Theta [From the New York Daily News, Feb. 21, island’s national Olympic committee. ‘‘We Sorority, Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society and 2002] have to follow the rules. As president of the Christ Fellowship Baptist Church are testa- LATIN OLYMPIANS GOOD AS GOLD Olympic committee, I took him out, accord- ments to her warmhearted benevolence. Global warming has affected the Utah Win- ing to our constitution.’’ Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Represent- ter Olympics in unexpected ways. And all of Maybe next time. And count on it, there will be a next time. atives to join me in wishing Earlene, her hus- them seem to be good. band James, and her family all the best as For one thing, there are all these warm- f weather people heating up the ice at Salt she begins this new phase of her life. Lake City. And doing their part to make the HONORING HOLLY JOHNSEN f medal count grow for the U.S. Take Derek Parra. IN RECOGNITION OF HISPANIC Believed to be the first Hispanic ever to HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH AMERICAN ATHLETES AT THE win a medal in the Winter Games, Parra, a OF CALIFORNIA 2002 OLYMPICS 31-year-old Mexican-American, lives in Or- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lando, Fla., where Mickey and Donald are HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL found all over the place, but snow is as rare Tuesday, March 12, 2002 OF NEW YORK as, well, speed skating. Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise He is 5-foot-4 and weighs 140 pounds, but IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES today to honor Holly Johnsen for being recog- Para accomplished what many bigger men Tuesday, March 12, 2002 had unsuccessfully attempted before. He nized by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards as a Distinguished Finalist for her im- Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to broke a world record to take the gold in 1,500 pressive community service activities. The recognize the outstanding achievements of the meters speed skating Tuesday in such spec- tacular fashion that even his competitors award is presented by Prudential Financial, United States Latino athletes in the 2002 Win- were thrilled. with the National Association of Secondary ter Olympics. At these Olympic games we ‘‘It sounds stupid, but I enjoyed [seeing] School Principals, and seeks to honor stu- have seen a number of outstanding United it,’’ said Jochem Uytdehaage, of the Nether- dents who show exceptional achievement in States athletes from different ethnic and racial lands, who won silver, after Parra broke the the areas of community service. backgrounds. We have witnessed a number of world record he had set a few minutes before. Holly Johnsen, a sixteen-year old student at ‘‘firsts’’ in our minority communities. These The reverse had taken place the opening athletes have risen to the Olympic challenge day of the games, when Parra set a world Bullard High School, has been recognized for against incredible odds, and for this, I honor record in the 5,000 meters. Uytdehaage de- initiating a ‘‘Lunch Buddy’’ program. The 30 stroyed it a few minutes later. them. I again recognize Mrs. Vonetta Flowers Junior Ladies Auxiliary for Retarded Citizens ‘‘It is just an amazing thing,’’ Parra said (LARC) Club members that are involved in this who won a Gold medal; in bobsledding at the after his 1,500-meter victory. Winter Olympic games, becoming the first Afri- program introduce special-education students CUBAN-AMERICAN PIONEER to other groups, accompany them on field can American to win a Gold medal for the Now take Jennifer Rodriguez. United States in a Winter event. trips, and organize parties at school. Holly has Born in sunny Miami to Cuban parents, shown top-quality leadership and organizing In addition to those accomplishments made Rodriguez is believed to be the first Cuban- by the African American community, I also American to compete in the Winter Games. skills. The club operates at their school with a commend those achievements of Hispanic Rodriguez not only competed but won the shared presidency between Holly and Molly American athletes as highlighted in the Daily bronze in the women’s 1,000 meters. Another Hopkins. Holly believes the club will make at News article on Latino Olympians. The article American, Chris Witty, won the gold and es- impact through peer contribution. She encour- follows this statement and I would like to take tablished a new world record. ages students to play a part in the program by That no Cuban-American had competed in this opportunity to recognize the Olympians’ taking special-education students to classes, the Winter Olympics before is not at all sur- club meetings, and lunch with them. reference in it. Mr. Parra, 31 years old, is a prising. After all, in Miami, ice is usually Mexican American speed skater from Orlando, found only in drinks. Not exactly an ice- Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Florida. He began his athletic career as a skating paradise. Holly Johnsen for being honored by Prudential inline skater and only picked up speed skating Baseball, football, swimming, boxing, soc- Spirit of Community Awards. I invite my col- on ice five years ago. Considered the first His- cer—all of them are pretty popular in warm, leagues to join me in thanking Holly for her panic American to ever win a medal in the heavily Latino Miami. But a Cuban-Amer- outstanding ingenuity and service to the com- Olympic games makes Parra incredibly ican speed skater? Rodriguez’s and Parra’s munity and wishing her continued success in feats will do wonders to change that. all future endeavors. unique, but Parra did not just medal. Parra Parra and Rodriguez—as did Apolo Anton came in first, receiving a Gold medal and Ohno, for that matter—got their start as in- f breaking the world record for his performance line skaters. Actually, Rodriguez didn’t train in the 1,500 meter. He also received a Silver on ice until six years ago, and Parra made HONORING MR. RICHARD FIMBRES medal in the 5,000 meter race. the switch only five years ago. ON HIS SELECTION AS ‘‘MAN OF In addition, Jennifer Rodriguez of Miami, The young Mexican-American also was a THE YEAR’’ BY THE TUCSON Florida became the first Cuban-American to phenomenal in-line skater, becoming na- METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF medal in the Winter Olympics. A former inline tional champion three times in the 1990s and COMMERCE holding world records in short- and long-dis- skater—now speed skater, like Parra— tance events. Rodriguez competed in the women’s 1,000 And then take the case of the Puerto Rican HON. ED PASTOR race and won a Bronze medal. Our nation’s bobsled team. OF ARIZONA Puerto Rican heritage was also represented at Yes, I know, you are asking yourself what IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the Salt Lake City Games. Though the two- in the world was the Caribbean island—aver- Tuesday, March 12, 2001 man bobsled team was unable to complete in age temperature 85 degrees—doing in Salt the end, Puerto Rico’s presence was felt and Lake City, where freezing weather is their Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you we look forward to their full participation in daily bread? Did these sun-tanned, warm- today to recognize an outstanding individual weather guys stand a chance against all 2006. those cold-weather-seasoned athletes? who was recently recognized for his exem- Parra, Rodriguez, and the Puerto Rican ath- We’ll never know. plary work and dedication to his community. letes have performed to commendable BOBSLEDDERS BLOCKED On February 27, Mr. Richard G. Fimbres was heights. They are a tribute to everything the On Friday evening, the Puerto Rican honored by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber Olympics stand for: courage, athleticism and Olympic Committee dropped out of the two- of Commerce as their ‘‘Man of the Year.’’ national and international unity. I thank them man bobsled competition hours before it Mr. Fimbres’ work throughout the commu- for their hard work and perseverance. These, began. The reason: Michael Gonza´ lez, one of nity is evidenced by the time and energy he along with African American and Asian Amer- the two team members, was not able to dem- devotes to so many organizations throughout ican, athletes are great examples to our future onstrate to the island’s Olympic committee the City of Tucson and Pima County. The athletes, especially our minority communities. that he had lived on the island for the re- League of United Latin American Citizens Their faces reflect the composition of our quired three years. (LULAC), the Knights of Columbus, the Tuc- Ironically, the International Olympic Com- country and are an inspiration to countless mittee was satisfied with the two years and son/Pima Arts Council, the Pima Youth Part- young people who might believe the Olympics one month he was able to prove. nership, the United Way, and the Childrens are not for them. Thank you again and con- ‘‘He’s a great, great guy, but those are the Action Alliance are just a few of the entities he gratulations. rules,’’ said He´ctor Cardona, president of the commits his energies to.
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