November 19, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2253 

In 1975 she married Robert C. Maynard, 

who wrote for the Washington Post and was 

already a news giant in his own right. At that 

time in our nation’s history, Nancy and Robert 

were among the best and most accomplished 

of the fewer than 50 black journalists who held 

significant roles in the newspaper, radio and 

television journalism industries. However, rising up within a damaged and biased system 

was not enough for the Maynards. Not content 

with their own personal accomplishments, they 

both believed that their greatest civic duty was 

to level the playing field and bring others up 

behind them. 

Two years later, they both resigned from 

their lucrative posts to pursue their shared fundamental ideals. This included, demanding a 

higher standard of ethics and accountability in 

journalism and promoting equal opportunity for 

people of color in the media industry. They 

moved to the West Coast to pursue what was 

right and just and to establish a non-profit 

dedicated to training minority reporters and 

pressing newsrooms to ‘‘reflect the diversity of 

thought, lifestyle and heritage in our culture.’’ 

In Berkeley, California, Nancy and Robert 

joined with eight other co-founders and 

launched the year-round Institute for Journalism Education—the first of its kind in this 

field. 

In 1983, the couple purchased the financially struggling Oakland Tribune from the 

Gannett Company. For nearly a decade, the 

Maynards co-published the daily paper. It was 

at the Oakland Tribune that their vision of diversity in staffing and coverage took physical 

form and set an example for the conservative, 

overwhelmingly white newsroom managers 

they had been trying to reach out to for so 

many years. The Maynards sold the Tribune in 

1992 and Robert passed away a few months 

afterward. During the ten years of their proprietorship, the company contributed approximately $300 million in payroll revenue alone to 

the city of Oakland and its residents. 

Nancy was the child of an African-American 

jazz musician and a Caucasian mother. 

Through her personal and professional experiences, she understood the need for the most 

talented and committed minds in journalism to 

work together to break down racial barriers 

and report the truth back to the community. 

She carried this rich heritage and strong 

sense of purpose with her throughout her life. 

In 1998, the National Association of Black 

Journalists awarded her its annual Lifetime 

Achievement Award. 

Today, California’s 9th Congressional District salutes Nancy Hicks Maynard and honors 

her legacy. We thank her family for sharing 

this amazing spirit with us, especially her partner, Jay T. Harris, her mother, Eve Keller, her 

sister, Barbara Guest, her brother, Al Hall, her 

sons, David and Alex, and her daughter, Dori. 

May her soul rest in peace. 

f 

IN HONOR OF THE PALESTINE 

CHILDREN’S RELIEF FUND 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today in order to recognize the achievements 

of The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund 

(PCRF) on the occasion of their 2008 gala, 

entitled ‘‘Healing Hands.’’ For the past 17 

years, PCRF has played an instrumental role 

in providing some of the best medical treatment for children all over the Middle East. 

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a 

U.S.-based non-profit that has now become 

the leading organization providing free medical 

treatment for children in the Middle East. 

PCRF works closely with doctors, hospitals, 

and organizations throughout North America 

and Europe in order to facilitate specialized 

medical care for children who are unable to be 

treated locally. Children have been treated in 

hospitals all over the United States, including 

in Cleveland and other cities across Ohio. 

Since its founding in 1991, PCRF has treated 

over 800 children outside of the Middle East 

and continues to send doctors from the United 

States to train medical personnel in the region. 

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join 

me in honor of the Palestine Children’s Relief 

Fund and in recognition of their outstanding 

achievements and important work in providing 

free medical treatment to children in need. 

f 

BRUCE ASHWILL 

HON. JOHN T. DOOLITTLE OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. DOOLITTLE. Madam Speaker, I would 

like to take a moment to pay tribute to Bruce 

Ashwill, a close friend from the Fourth Congressional District of California. 

Bruce Ashwill is a legend in California real 

estate. As a founding partner of Ashwill Burke 

and the founder of Bishop Hawke and Aborn 

Powers, it is estimated that he has hired and 

trained more than 1,700 real estate professionals in his more than 38 years in the commercial real estate business. Bruce is a valued 

member of local chambers of commerce and 

many professional trade groups such as the 

California Association of Realtors and the Sacramento Trade Organization. 

We first met in 1983 when I was running for 

the California State Senate, and our friendship 

has grown from there. I have been privileged 

to benefit from the wisdom and experiences 

Bruce has shared with me, providing great insight into business, politics and life. 

Bruce graduated from University of California at Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of 

Science degree. He and his wife of 46 years, 

Barbara, live on a ranch in Shingle Springs, 

California. Bruce and Barbara have been 

blessed with three children and eight grandchildren. 

I would like to wish Bruce and Barbara good 

luck in all their future endeavors and express 

to them how much they mean to Julie and me. 

We look forward to continuing our great friendship for many years to come. 

f 

HONORING BOB FRALEY 

HON. JIM COSTA OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

along with Congressman RADANOVICH, to congratulate Bob Fraley upon his induction into 

the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame. Mr. Fraley 

will be honored at the 50th anniversary 

enshrinement dinner of the Fresno Athletic 

Hall of Fame on Thursday, November 6, 2008. 

Bob Fraley grew up in the tiny community of 

Hardwick, California, and admired the man 

considered the best pole-vaulter ever, ‘‘Dutch’’ 

Warmerdam. Coach Fraley was raised just an 

orchard away from the Warmerdam home. Before he was done with his storied career, 

Coach Fraley would nurture a track-and-field 

powerhouse at Lemoore High School, mentor 

more than 40 All-Americans at California State 

University, Fresno, and made the ‘‘Fraley’’ 

name synonymous with the pole vault all over 

the world. 

According to Coach Fraley, his most significant accomplishment in his career was saving 

the California State University, Fresno, men’s 

track-and-field team in 2003 after it was cut by 

the school as an intercollegiate sport. He 

saved the program by telling the university’s 

administration, ‘‘take my salary; just don’t take 

my sport.’’ The school agreed and Coach 

Fraley coached for free and was hailed in 

Sports Illustrated for solving a problem instead 

of pointing fingers at others. 

The honors are many for Coach Fraley, who 

was also a trailblazer for women’s athletics 

and the implementation of Title IX. He was 

named 2003 USA Track and Field Nike Coach 

of the Year, U.S. Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year in 2004, 2006 national Pole Vault Hall of Fame inductee and 

two-time Western Athletic Conference coach 

of the year. During his 28 years at California 

State University, Fresno, including 8 years as 

head coach, he developed many of the Nation’s top performers; including 19 Academic 

All-Americans. Among his top athletes were 

pole-vaulter Jim Davis, who cleared 19 feet 

and won three NCAA titles; four-time All-American triple jumper Reggie Jackson; and Melissa (Price) Lewis, the first female inductee of 

the national Pole Vault Hall of Fame and the 

first female high school and NCAA pole vault 

champ. 

Madam Speaker, we rise today to commend 

and congratulate Bob Fraley upon his achievements and induction into the Fresno Athletic 

Hall of Fame. I invite my colleagues to join me 

in wishing Coach Fraley congratulations on his 

many accomplishments. 

f 

HONORING MATER DEI KNIGHTS 

VOLLEYBALL TEAM 

HON. JOHN SHIMKUS OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor the Mater Dei Knights Volleyball 

Team. The Knights placed third at the IHSA 

State Volleyball match on Saturday November 

15, 2008. 

Continuing their tradition of success, this is 

the Knights’ 12th trophy in school history. The 

Knights competed for their title against Chicago Payton. Winning in just two games, the 

Knights defeated Payton by scores of 25–17 

and 25–22. 

It is my pleasure to congratulate Coaches 

Fred Rakers and Chad Rakers along with the 

Knights Volleyball Team members—Cortney 


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