[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 6393] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN HONOR OF ELEANOR WASSON ______ HON. SAM FARR of california in the house of representatives Thursday, April 17, 2008 Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today, with my colleagues Anna Eshoo and Dennis Kucinich to honor the memory of an optimistic, vivacious woman whose positive outlook and zeal for life inspired many. Eleanor Wasson, a driving force behind WomenRise for Global Peace, passed away peacefully on April 6, 2008. She was 100 years old. Miss Wasson grew up in Los Angeles, California and was raised by a loving, supportive family. In her life she was always conscious of the importance of giving back to the community. She devoted her life to fighting for political and social causes in the United States and abroad. Miss Wasson was an active volunteer, working three decades as a coordinator of Volunteer Services for UCLA, and later, creating her own organization. Miss Wasson helped introduce volunteerism to the rest of the world through the creation of International Volunteer Education, which was designed to teach foreign countries to recruit and train large numbers of volunteers. A feminist ahead of her time, Miss Wasson's activism and longevity was fueled by her uplifting outlook on life. Miss Wasson was noted for the ability to befriend people from all over the world and from diverse walks of life. Her warm heart led her to treat each individual with equal respect and friendliness; noting that having plenty of friends attributed to her own longevity. Above all, she led her life believing in the universal power of love, and that we all had power, providing that every action was motivated by love. Later in her life, Miss Wasson was drawn to the beauty of California's Central Coast. She moved to Santa Cruz in 1989, where she continued to cultivate her spirit of volunteerism, contributing much to a local environmental organization. EarthSave. There, she continued to make friends and spread her contagious optimism with Santa Cruz locals. Old age could not stop Miss Wasson as she continued her activist lifestyle up until her recent passing. Her memories live on, along with her book ``28,000 Martinis and Counting,'' which details her centenarian life of ``living, learning, and loving.'' Eleanor is survived by her daughters Joan Smith and Diane Wright; along with numerous beloved family members and friends. Madam Speaker, I would like to extend our Nation's deep gratitude for Eleanor's service to the United States and her own local community. I know I speak for every Member of Congress in offering our condolences to Joan, Diane and the entire Wasson family for the loss of their beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. ____________________