It's Fundamental

I've got Girl Scouts on the brain as I eagerly anticipate the arrival of my Thin Mints in the office this week, so another Scout-related post today:

A high five for Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander for his work with the Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council and the US Marine Corps in their annual "Reading Rocks!" book drive. Book donations are collected around the holidays and distributed through Toys for Tots.

Check out the Reading Rocks! PSA for more from Sen. Alexander and some adorable be-pigtailed Brownies reading books with Marines:

No Child Left Inside

Look at us go, we're on fire! Two blog posts in three days: more good deeds than you can handle.

So, I became enamored of the No Child Left Inside program today, which is aimed at environmental education for children. As part of this program, a bunch of high school students from Maryland, Virginia, D.C., and Pennsylvania congregated at Anacostia Park in D.C. on MLK day for some tree planting and park maintenance.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did some speaking, and Rep. John Sarbanes (not to be confused with the elder Senator Sarbanes) said a few words, then picked up a shovel and started digging. Senators Ben Cardin and Barabara Mikulski also attended.

No Child Left Inside sounds like a great program... especially in cities... and especially in places like Anacostia in cities.*

*It makes me think of whenever my Wii interrupts my Wii bowling to ask if I want to take a break and go outside, and I feel guilty, like I should, even though it's 11 p.m. in December. Point being, we should all appreciate being outdoors, especially if we're planting trees, and especially if we're Congressmen planting trees in Anacostia.

Jim McDermott gets his hands dirty

At Seattle's Interlaken park, where dozens of volunteers descended "to plant trees and shrubs, pull invasives, and do their part to restore Seattle’s forested park lands" as part of "Green Seattle Day," the second Saturday of November designated by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in 2007.

The Interlaken volunteers, along with hundreds of others across the city, planted more than 3,000 trees and shrubs. Encouraged Congressman McDermott (D-WA), “I hope what you are doing here today acts like a seedling and takes root in other neighborhoods in Seattle and across the region."

No one can talk to a horse, of course, unless that horse is Mr. Ed

While we usually avoid highlighting legislative accomplishments in favor of personal outreach activities, Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) still gets a spotlight from us for receiving the Humane Society of the United State's first ever "Humane Horseman of the Year" Award.

The award, given to Congressman Whitfield for his legislative efforts to end horse slaughter, is designed to "recognize a horseman or woman who has shown an outstanding commitment to improving the welfare of America’s horses."

While plenty of politicians adopt a cowboy persona to appeal to voters, Congressman and horseman Whitfield actually walks the talk, taking action to protect the vulnerable animals so central to his state's culture, and saying "neigh!" to animal cruelty.

(sorry, couldn't resist)