The Girl Scouting Council of the United States is proud to announce a celebration honoring US Representative Helen Chenowith, during which the Idaho Republican will be admitted into the Scouting Hall of Honor. Although Chenowith has never actually been a Girl Scout, nor has she ever participated in the organization's door-to-door cookie sales, she's been a self-described "addict of those delicious thin mints" for three decades. Chenowith also introduced a bill last year to prevent fortune-cookie companies from including nonfortune material, such as jokes and riddles, in their products.
"Selling hundreds of greeting cards for valuable prizes is no mean feat," said the Honorable Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). He should know! Back in 1965, in the tiny South Carolina hamlet of Central, 10-year-old Lindsey redeemed sales of 340 humorous get-well cards for a replica confederate army cap and a rubber bowie knife. Hallmark will honor Graham later this year by commissioning an embossed and glittery portrait of the congressman for the International Greeting Card Museum. Graham has been a longtime opponent of generic postcards and blank stationery. And he's not too excited about recycled paper, either.
Short days and cool nights augur the arrival of beautiful fall foliage. But autumn is also historically a busy time, what with all the raking to be done. The American Leaf Blowers Association hopes to bring more attention to the latest in lawn care and clean-up technologies by honoring Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) as a charter member of its newly created Gold Leaf Club. In his hometown of Milwaukee, Sensebrenner is remembered for his fine work as a three-term member of the US House of Representatives. But there are more than a few of his constituents old enough to remember his skillful work with a rake. Although he's never owned a leaf blower, the ALBA will make sure he receives one as a part of this unique honor. Sensebrenner has also used his position of public trust to selflessly endorse the virtues of Glad brand garbage bags. What do mail carriers, emergency personnel, and encyclopedia vendors have in common? They all appreciate the value of easy-to-read house numbers painted on curbs by enterprising young Americans. That's why Valspar Paints pays tribute Wednesday to Ed Pease (R-Indiana), who, as a high school student in Terre Haute, spent a summer painting curbs. Pease will be immortalized with a permanent star on the National Curb Painter's Walk of Fame, with additional signage clearly visible from the street and opposite sidewalk. In addition to his own storied "summer in the gutter," Congressman Pease was instrumental in blocking legislation that would have removed toluene and other dangerous but crucial inhalants from high-quality exterior paints.
If there's anything more important than the Rule of Law, it's keeping your lawn tidy. Recognizing this great American truism, Lawn-Boy and Toro have joined forces to honor Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-Minnesota) for his patriotic service. He'll be honored in a ceremony dubbing him "Honorary Knight of the Immaculate Lawn." He'll also receive the familiar Sceptre of the Lawn Master, a prestigious gas-powered weed eater. As a young man, Ramstad provided reliable landscape maintenance to six clients in Wayzata, Minnesota. Against great political pressure and the threat of domestic terrorism, Ramstad more recently fought to overturn the background check and five-day waiting period proposed for Americans attempting to buy Miracle-Gro.
Although a leash is snapped onto the collar of an American dog every 30 seconds, few Americans understand or appreciate the real service performed by young dog walkers across the country each day. Representative Mary Bono (R-California) hopes to change all that, by accepting the mantel of the Alpo Dog Walker of the Year. Although it's been years since a youthful Mary (nee Whitaker) earned extra spending money walking two springer spaniels and a Dalmation in her family's suburban Cleveland neighborhood, she says she treasures those "golden years of opportunity." In support of a proposal by Alpo's Pooper-Scooper division, the congresswoman has encouraged ratification of a federal "stoop and scoop" law.
