[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 127 (Monday, September 16, 1996)] [Senate] [Page S10615] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] THE ELIOT LOUNGEMr. KERRY. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a tribute to one of Boston's most celebrated local institutions--which is soon to be no more--and to the man who has done so much to make that place the very special corner of town that it is. To running enthusiasts across the Nation, the Eliot Lounge is well known as the unofficial headquarters of the Boston Marathon--a congenial watering hole where the world's elite runners rub elbows, and perhaps down a beer or two, with weekend joggers and others even less athletically inclined. But anyone who has ever dropped by the corner of Massachusetts and Commonwealth Avenues knows that the Eliot is far more than just a runner's tavern. The Eliot is a gathering place, and a welcoming haven, for men and women from all different backgrounds and walks of life: stockbrokers and steam fitters, journalists and office clerks, teachers and police officers and even the occasional politician have all found a warm welcome there. It is a place where old-fashioned hospitality and camaraderie still endure, a place where strangers become old friends with just a few easy words--a neighborhood bar, it's been said, for people who don't necessarily live in the neighborhood. For the better part of two decades now, the camaraderie and good fellowship of the Eliot Lounge have been personified by one man: Tommy Leonard. From his post behind the bar, T.L. has dispensed wit and wisdom to all corners--always brimming with enthusiasm and good cheer, and always eager to help the first-time visitor to Boston learn all the extraordinary charms of our most extraordinary city. As devoted distance runner and founder of the renowned Falmouth Road Race, it was Mr. Leonard who first introduced the running community to the charms of the Eliot Lounge. But even more important, it is Tommy Leonard who embodies the tremendous generosity of spirit that has long characterized the special place. Just as he proudly served his country years ago in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. Leonard continues to serve the people of Boston in countless different ways. Over the years T.L. has organized charity drives for scores of worthy causes; whether money was needed to replace a beloved children's statue stolen from the Boston Public Garden, to set up a scholarship fund for the children of a slain police officer, or to meet the medical bills of a badly injured former marathon star, Mr. Leonard has always been at the forefront of those looking to help. Tommy Leonard is the first to point out that he has not been alone in these endeavors. Indeed, the entire staff of the Eliot Lounge deserves tremendous credit for their years of charitable work--as does Eddie Doyle, another legendary Boston publican who is Mr. Leonard's frequent partner in good deeds. But over the years it has been Tommy Leonard who has, time and again, provided the inspiration and the energy needed to get the job done: to turn well-intentioned wishes into concrete deeds. To prove that the volunteer spirit is still alive and well in America today. To harness the generosity and good will of an entire community and, together, to make a real difference in the lives of others. Some who know him say that if Tommy Leonard had only devoted his boundless energy and his promotional genius to making money for himself, he would be a rich man today. But, Mr. President, others who know him--myself included--look at the joy that he has brought to so many others, and we know that Tommy Leonard is already wealthy in the ways that really matter. But now, Mr. President, after all these years, there will soon be no more Eliot Lounge for Tommy Leonard to call home. The congenial little tavern that has seen so many famous faces and so much good cheer will be closing its doors by the end of this month. Before that happens, Mr. President, I want to take this opportunity to salute Tommy Leonard, and his colleagues on the staff of the Eliot Lounge, for all the generosity they have shown and all the good works they have so cheerfully performed over the years. I applaud them, I wish them Godspeed, and I also remind them: As T.L. so often observes, ``It's a Wonderful Life.'' And it is even more so, T.L. and colleagues, because of all that you have done. ____________________