E1354 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks July 31, 2012 

originally used in Oregon and adapted them 

so they could be used on the Colorado. Mr. 

Litton sold the business in 1990, but continued 

to raft the Grand Canyon. Just three years 

ago he broke his own record as the oldest 

person to run the canyon in a dory. 

From 1954–1968 Mr. Litton was the editor 

of Sunset Magazine. His cover story ‘‘The 

Redwood Country’’ in 1960 launched a movement that eventually led to the establishment 

of Redwood National Park. As a life-long pilot, 

Mr. Litton flew then Governor Edmund ‘‘Pat’’ 

Brown over the redwoods in Northern California to convince him not to sign a bill that 

would extend a freeway through the forest. It 

worked. 

Mr. Litton continues to fight for the redwoods. He is deeply engaged in a campaign 

to stop logging in the Sequoia National Forest 

and the Giant Sequoia Monument. 

Surpassing Mr. Litton’s love for the environment is only his love for his wife of 69 years, 

Esther. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Martin Litton 

who has kept some of the most beautiful 

places in America pristine and in existence for 

all of us to admire and enjoy. His tenacious 

spirit serves as an inspiration to all of us. 

f 

CONGRATULATING THE SAIPAN 

SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL MANTA 

RAY BAND’S OLYMPIC PERFORMANCE 

HON. GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO 

SABLAN OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, here is a story 

to make us all cheer: 

46 high school musicians from America’s 

smallest insular area raise a quarter of a million dollars to go to London and perform during the Olympics—where they win a silver 

medal. 

That is the story of the Saipan Southern 

High School Manta Ray Concert Band, who 

played their hearts out at the London Celebration Music Festival this week in Central Hall 

Westminster, and came away with silver. 

They played throughout the 2012 Summer 

Olympics: at the main bandstand in Olympic 

Park, in a torch ceremony in Central London, 

at storied Westminster Abbey, and at the 

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre nearby 

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. 

As they played, we all cheered in the Northern Mariana Islands. Because the Manta Rays 

represent us all. We are the only U.S. insular 

area that did not send athletes to London. We 

sent our students. We sent musicians. And 

they were awarded silver. 

It took silver to send them there. It took 

bake sales, rummage sales, garage sales, a 

bowling tournament, tree plantings, car washes, a radio telethon, lunches, and raffles. It 

took businesses, government, civic organizations, and individual donors—too many to list 

by name all chipping in to make this possible 

for the 46 Manta Rays and their 14 chaperones. It seemed an impossible goal for a 

community of barely fifty thousand, struggling 

economically, to raise two hundred and fifty 

thousand dollars. But we did. 

Because these Manta Ray musicians dared 

us to dream—as they have before. They 

proved to us that with ‘‘faith, effort, and determination,’’ and, of course, the hours of individual diligence, closing out the world, playing 

scales, practicing their parts, over and over 

again, that even the seemingly impossible can 

come to be. 

Ten years ago there was no high school 

band in our islands. Most families in the Marianas could not even afford to buy a band instrument. Then, through the vision of teacher 

Will DeWitt and the support of the leadership 

at Saipan Southern High School and the 

Northern Marianas Public School System a 

seed was planted. The dream began to grow. 

Students begged or borrowed instruments 

and held them for the first time. They began 

to make music. 

How quickly they learned. They started to 

win regional competitions in Guam. They 

gained notice and were invited to perform during the Beijing Olympics four years ago. 

They were even called to play at Carnegie 

Hall, earning second place in the New York 

International Music Competition. 

Then, last year, the invitation came to the 

2012 Summer Olympics. And this week the 

silver medal in London. 

Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how 

much the Northern Marianas believes in its 

young people than this bake-sale effort to 

send the Manta Ray Concert Band to the 

2012 Olympics. 

Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how 

much our young people believe in themselves 

and in their future than that they took on this 

impossible, improbable goal—and succeeded. 

So, today, we say, ‘‘Congratulations, Manta 

Rays!’’ 

And we say, ‘‘Thank you.’’ Thank you for 

doing your community proud. Thank you for 

rewarding our faith in you. 

Thank you for confirming that there is no 

better place to put our hope and hard work 

than helping in the growth and development of 

our children. 

Here is a story we can all love and applaud: 

a story of dedicated teachers and students 

who were inspired to do something they had 

never done before, something that on its face 

was ‘‘impossible.’’ This is a story of what 

makes any of us great: stepping beyond what 

we imagine we can do, bringing to life a new 

and unimaginable world. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF NICK’S RESTAURANT 

HON. JACKIE SPEIER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor 

the Gust family that has owned and operated 

Nick’s Restaurant in Pacifica for 85 years and 

has made significant contributions to the community. It is undisputed among locals—and 

some out of towners in the know—that Nick’s 

serves the best crab sandwich on the coast. 

Nick’s 85th Anniversary Bash will go on all 

week and it reflects the generosity and love of 

music and food of every member of the family: 

Charles, Anastasia, Nick, Lorraine, Kathy, 

Chuck and Lena. 

Located at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica, 

Nick’s has become a destination for visitors 

drawn by the restaurant’s dramatic setting 

right on the beach with breakers crashing 

against boulders, pelicans gliding through the 

salty air, surfers catching waves and of 

course, the fabulous food. 

The original Gust family member to come to 

Rockaway Beach was Stalios Karagianis. He 

left Macedonia, Greece in 1907, arrived in 

New York by ship and then traveled across 

the United States to San Francisco. He 

worked a variety of jobs, including one with 

the Ocean Shore Railroad which first brought 

him to the coast. While working as a contractor, Karagianis sent for his wife, Anastasia, 

to join him. They bought a house in Daly City 

and had three daughters and a son. In 1927, 

Karagianis returned to the coast and bought a 

piece of property on the edge of Rockaway 

Beach. He opened a small shack selling sandwiches, peanuts and candy to fishermen. 

After losing his business to fire twice and rebuilding for the third time, Karagianis and his 

family decided to move into the business and 

make it their home to prevent another fire. 

Karagianis faced a challenge. Over and 

over he was told that his name was too difficult to pronounce, so he changed it to Charlie Gust. 

After 20 years of running the restaurant, 

Charlie eventually handed the reins to his son 

Nick and daughter-in-law Lorraine who continued the family tradition of always improving 

and expanding the business. Nick and Lorraine turned Nick’s into one of the most 

unique and pleasant dining spots drawing visitors from all over the world to this beautiful 

cove on the Pacific coast. Nick served as 

mayor of Pacifica for four terms and on the 

city council for ten years ruling the city from 

the restaurant and bar at Nick’s. 

Now Nick’s is in the hands of the third generation of Gusts. Nick’s son Chuck has been 

running the restaurant for the last 10 years 

and daughter Lena is working there as well. 

What has not changed over the last 85 

years is the welcoming atmosphere, the hospitality of the Gust family and the great food. 

May Nick’s serve its famous crab sandwich for 

the next 85 years! 

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor the Gust family 

for being an integral part of Pacifica and providing an endless supply of comfort, sustenance and community service. As a long-time 

friend of the family I am proud and grateful for 

their many contributions to the vitality and folklore of Pacifica. 

f 

RECOGNIZING WASHINGTON STATE 

ATHLETES COMPETING IN THE 

2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS 

HON. ADAM SMITH OF WASHINGTON

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise to honor Aretha Thurmond, Ariana 

Kukors, Courtney Thompson, and Tejay van 

Garderen from the State of Washington for 

representing the United States and competing 

in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. 

The 2012 Games will be Aretha Thurmond’s 

fourth appearance at the Olympic Games 


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