May 22, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 97 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                 RECOGNIZING MELINDA STENTOFT OF SCOBEY

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                          HON. GREG GIANFORTE

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 22, 2020

  Mr. GIANFORTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Melinda Stentoft 
of Scobey for providing Eastern Montana's health care providers with 
personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 outbreak.
  Let me start of by saying Melinda wants everybody to know she doesn't 
think she deserves this recognition. She said, ``I just honestly felt 
like it needed to be done.''
  That speaks volumes to the type of person Melinda is. She owns a 
boutique in Scobey, Montana. Once the COVID-19 outbreak forced everyone 
indoors and businesses, like hers, to close their doors, business 
really started picking up on line. In fact, her numbers doubled in the 
past two months.
  But through all this success, she saw the harsh reality of the 
coronavirus and its impact on her community, state, and nation. When 
health care providers indicated they had an immediate need for PPE, 
Melinda realized there was a way she could help.
  Melinda's boutique sells cloth masks to the public. She says everyone 
was ordering them, so she pledged to help with Eastern Montana's health 
care PPE shortage. For every five masks her business sold, she would 
donate two to health care systems like Daniels Memorial in Scobey, 
Roosevelt Memorial in Culbertson, and the Billings Clinic. Thanks to 
her efforts, hundreds of masks will be delivered to protect providers.
  This unprecedented time has reminded Melinda of her childhood when, 
she says, people were so close, and the sense of a tight-knit community 
came back because of the outbreak. Instead of rushing all the time, 
Melinda feels people are taking more time to talk to each other, and 
she loves how people have found their own way to help.
  Madam Speaker, for identifying the needs of her community and 
selflessly giving back, I recognize Melinda Stentoft of Scobey for her 
Spirit of Montana.

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