[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 5155-5156] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF SISTER MAURA BRANNICK OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY CROSS ______ HON. JOE DONNELLY of indiana in the house of representatives Thursday, April 3, 2008 Mr. DONNELLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Sister Maura Brannick, a sister of the Congregation of the Holy Cross who has dedicated her life to the poor and disadvantaged members of the South Bend Community. After nearly 55 years with the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Sister Maura Brannick's legacy is marked by several distinguished awards and, most recently, a health clinic dedicated in her name. Sister Maura Brannick was born in Joliet, Illinois, to Charles and Ellen Brannick. In 1948, Sister Maura graduated from Saint Mary's Hospital School of Nursing, the same year she completed her final profession into the Sisters of the Holy Cross. For the next three decades, Sister Maura's ministry focused on providing nursing care to patients in hospitals in both Indiana and Illinois. Her life has become a living example of how one person can make a difference in many lives. Recognizing the need for a medical facility for the poor living within South Bend, Indiana, Sister Maura founded the Chapin Street Health Center in 1986. The original clinic, located in a 400 square foot converted carriage house, has grown into a 10,000 foot facility that was renamed in 2006 to honor its founder. The Sister Maura Brannick Health Center, as it is currently known, has served over 70,000 patients since its opening and over 60,000 hours have been donated by local physicians and volunteers. Over the past 20 years, Sister Maura has received several awards honoring her dedication to the community. In 1991, she received the Points of Light Award from President George H.W. Bush, which honors individuals who find innovative ways to meet community needs with long- term solutions. Sister Maura was named Woman of the Year in 1994 by the Executive Journal and by the YWCA in 1987. She was inducted into the South Bend Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence in 2003 for her remarkable commitment to the working poor. At the dedication ceremony for the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center in 2006, Sister Maura shared the following perspective: ``We only have one life to live and I want to live it all. And I just thought if I can do something, I want to do it.'' As Nancy Hellyer, president and CEO of South Bend Regional Medical Center said during the center's dedication, ``Sister Maura Brannick has touched the lives of thousands in hospitals from Indiana to Idaho and back. The last twenty years are symbolic of her remarkable career as she still spends much of her time at the Health Center, a true Godsend to residents of South Bend.'' So, today I rise to pay tribute to Sister Maura for her countless efforts at improving the lives of the less fortunate within our midst. [[Page 5156]] Her legacy will be forever remembered and her hard work cherished by all those whose lives she touched. May God grant Sister Brannick many more years of strength and courage so that her dedicated service to the people of Indiana may continue. ____________________