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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING E. STEVEN COLLINS AND RADIO ONE FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE
SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF PHILADELPHIA
______
HON. CHAKA FATTAH
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Radio One in
Philadelphia and E. Steven Collins, National Sales Manager, for their
extraordinary civic-minded efforts in support of the ``Groceries for
Guns Initiative'' during the 2007 Martin Luther King's birthday
celebration.
Creative and determined promotion by Radio One through its three FM
outlets in the Philadelphia market, under the direction of Mr. Collins,
led directly to a successful outcome beyond anyone's expectations.
The initiative, spearheaded by Philadelphia City Councilwoman
Blondell Reynolds Brown in cooperation with my Congressional office and
Business Manager John Dougherty of Local 98, International Brotherhood
of Electrical Workers, produced the surrender of 252 weapons to the
Philadelphia Police Department, including 177 handguns and several
sawed off shotguns.
What better way to pay tribute to Dr. King's message and legacy of
non-violence than to remove these potential instruments of crime from
our streets?
And it occurred shortly after the city experienced one of its
deadliest years in recent history. In 2006, the toll of homicide
victims in Philadelphia was 406. Eighty five percent of these victims
were killed by firearms.
This extraordinary outpouring by the citizens of Philadelphia and the
Delaware Valley would not have reached such dramatic numbers without
the efforts of Radio One and its stations--100.3 The Beat, 103.9
Praise, and 107.9 R Radio One and its personalities promoted an
ongoing anti-violence, anti-gun, anti-drug campaign of personal
responsibility on the theme, ``It Starts With Me, It Starts With You.''
For a week in advance of the ``no questions asked'' gun surrender,
Radio One air personalities promoted ``Groceries for Guns'' through
public service announcements, interviews with Councilwoman Reynolds
Brown and myself and numerous appeals. Mr. Collins, a longtime
respected voice in Philadelphia radio, conducted some of these
interviews on his own show.
On the day of the initiative, January 15, 2007, Pooch and Laiya and
other Radio One personalities provided live interviews from outside the
Columbia YMCA in North Philadelphia as hundreds of Philadelphians,
young and old, lined up to exchange weapons for certificates worth $200
in groceries at The Fresh Grocer outlets.
Police officials expressed gratitude--and surprise--at the large
number of weapons that were taken off the streets of Philadelphia and
hauled away in the department's mobile mini-station in a single day's
effort.
I thank all the participants and especially Radio One and E. Steven
Collins for their efforts to bring about a ``Gun Safe Philadelphia.''
____________________
