July 31, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1355 

when she competes in the discus throw. She 

began throwing discus in high school and 

competed in her first Olympic games at the 

1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, just after 

finishing her sophomore year at the University 

of Washington. She went on to participate in 

the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing 

Games. Aretha has remained one of the top 

American discus throwers for over a decade. 

Ariana Kukors will be making her Olympic 

debut and participating in the 200M Individual 

Medley. Shortly after the 2008 Olympic Trials, 

Ariana continued to train hard and won the 

200M Individual Medley at the 2009 World 

Championships, setting a world-record of 2 

minutes, 6.15 seconds. 

Courtney Thompson will also make her 

Olympic debut in London as backup setter for 

the United States Women’s Volleyball Team. 

Her professional career began when she 

joined the national team in 2007 and competed in the 2007 and 2009 Federation Internationale de Volleyball World Grand Prix tournaments. Her strong appearance in the 2012 

Grand Prix grabbed the attention of many, 

which led her to this year’s Olympic Games. 

Courtney and the women’s volleyball team 

hopes to improve upon the silver medal they 

won at the 2008 Beijing Games. 

Tejay van Garderen has been named one of 

the most talented cyclists in America and will 

compete in this summer’s Olympic Games. He 

was born in Tacoma, Washington and spent 

the majority of his early years living and cycling in Europe. During his rookie years, he 

signed with HTC Highroad, which was at the 

time was the world’s top cycling team. Tejay 

finished third overall in the 2010 Criterium du 

Dauphine Libre and made his very first appearance at the Tour de France in 2011. He 

has also competed in the Tour de California 

and in Colorado’s inaugural Pro Cycling Challenge. 

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I 

commend these athletes from the State of 

Washington for their dedication and honor all 

Olympians taking part in the 2012 Summer 

Games. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE YEAR OF 

SERVICE OF MILLBRAE LION 

CLUB PRESIDENT RON FREDIANI 

HON. JACKIE SPEIER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

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

Millbrae Lion Club President Ron Frediani 

upon the completion of his year of service as 

President of the Millbrae Lions Club. This past 

year has been one of uncommon accomplishment by the Millbrae Lions, and Lion Ron is a 

key reason for this year’s success. 

The Lions worked with other community 

groups on more than one dozen community 

events. For example, under Ron Frediani’s 

leadership, the Millbrae Lions were involved in 

the annual 4th of July barbeque for the 

Millbrae Historical Society, the collection of 

gently used books for the Friends of the 

Millbrae Library, helped to raise funds for a 

local church, joined with the Millbrae Rotary 

Club in the Relay for Life event, and ensured 

that Halloween celebrations continued despite 

city budget constraints. 

The Millbrae Lions, under President Ron 

Frediani’s leadership has been a major source 

of funding for charity throughout this tight-knit 

community. For example, the club provides 

American flags for the city’s elementary 

schools and fingerprints all incoming 

kindergarteners. President Frediani and his 

club volunteers also honored all of the volunteers involved in youth baseball, both at dinner 

and during an annual pancake breakfast. 

These community events cannot happen without leaders such as Ron Frediani and his able 

board members who ensure that the Lions remain effective within their community. 

Mr. Speaker, it has been my honor to speak 

before the youth group sponsored by the 

Millbrae Lions, the Millbrae Leos Club. At this 

event, I was thrilled to take questions from 

teens with active minds and a desire to serve 

their community. Youth leadership leads to 

community leadership as adults, and President 

Frediani has been a big part of the success of 

this group, ensuring that it adheres to boundary and safety rules. 

A key duty of any club President is to arrange for speakers at regular meetings. President Frediani was cited by his club as being 

particularly adept at arranging for great speakers, which also helps build club membership 

and provides an educational opportunity for 

the broader community. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to honor Millbrae Lions 

Club President Ron Frediani upon the completion of his year of service to the community of 

Millbrae. There are many who are called into 

service involuntarily, but it takes a star to volunteer and then to be a beacon for others to 

follow. President Ron Frediani is such a star, 

and the Millbrae Lions Club and the entire 

community have benefited from his service. 

f 

CELEBRATING THE 170TH ANNIVERSARY OF OLD ST. MARY’S 

CHURCH 

HON. JEAN SCHMIDT OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor the oldest standing church in Cincinnati, 

which is appropriately named Old St. Mary’s. 

The church, which is listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places, was dedicated to 

God 170 years ago this month, on July 3, 

1842. 

It was originally called St. Marien Kirche. 

Many of the parishioners were German immigrants who lived northwest of the Miami & Erie 

Canal, in a neighborhood called Over-theRhine. 

Parishioners who were master craftsmen 

built the church at the intersection of 13th and 

Clay streets. The cornerstone was laid on 

March 25, 1841—the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

The clock tower of Old St. Mary’s rises 170 

feet, and it is the oldest in Cincinnati. The interior features hand-carved wooden statues, 

marvelous stained glass, and magnificent oil 

paintings, making the church one of the most 

beautiful in the city. 

My parents, Jeannette and Gus Hoffman, 

often attended worship services at Old St. 

Mary’s. Peter Schmidt and I were married 

there, and our daughter, Emilie, was baptized 

there. 

Today, Over-the-Rhine is a thriving multicultural neighborhood, and Old St. Mary’s has 

embraced this diversity. On March 25, 1988, 

parishioners established the Mary Magdalen 

House to help the poor and homeless. This 

nonprofit provides a place for needy people to 

shower, shave, and have their clothes 

laundered. 

In 2001, to help disadvantaged youths become community leaders, the pastor of Old St. 

Mary’s opened the St. Peter Claver Latin 

School for Boys. The late Father Albert Lauer 

envisioned the school as the cornerstone for 

renewal of the neighborhood. St. Peter Claver 

was officially recognized this month as the 

114th Catholic school of the Archdiocese of 

Cincinnati. 

Mr. Speaker, Cincinnatians appreciate their 

city’s history and their own heritage. Many 

Catholics of German ancestry who live in distant neighborhoods travel to Over-the-Rhine to 

worship at Old St. Mary’s. Sunday Mass is still 

offered in German—as well as in Latin and 

English. 

Today, I want to celebrate the 170th anniversary of Old St. Mary’s. I applaud the Cincinnatians who have ensured that this landmark remains relevant to Over-the-Rhine. It is 

my hope that the church will continue to uplift 

the city’s residents—in body and soul. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE’S SENIOR PEER 

COUNSELING PROGRAM 

HON. JACKIE SPEIER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 

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

the 25th Anniversary of a program in San 

Mateo County that has eliminated loneliness 

and provided support, guidance and joy for 

thousands of seniors. 

Peninsula Family Service’s Senior Peer 

Counseling is an outstanding example of how 

to best help seniors with transitions and life 

changes, health concerns, mobility issue, care 

provider questions and grief. A senior in need 

is paired up with a trained volunteer of a similar age, experience, values, wisdom and culture. In all of its work, Peninsula Family Service empowers families and individuals to become or remain self-sufficient and to be contributing members of our community. 

Senior Peer Counseling was started in 1987 

by Delia McGrath as part of the San Mateo 

County Behavioral Health and Recovery Program. The county recognized a need to provide an integrated and coherent set of services for older adults that would ensure they 

could live in the community as long as possible while maintaining their independence, 

connection and high quality of life. Delia 

McGrath was quickly joined by Carol 

Blomberger, a skilled art therapist, and the two 

set the groundwork for Senior Peer Counseling. They taught future counselors life skills 

that prepared them to help seniors in very difficult situations. Delia McGrath pointed out that 

the most important skill was listening; it built 

the foundation for trust and a peer relationship. 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with REMARKS