Tribute to Krista Stanley; Recognizing Sergio’s Family Restaurant — Congressional Record, Senate, July 21, 2020
Summary
Page S4344 of the Congressional Record, Senate, July 21, 2020, with tributes and statements for the record. The page begins with the end of a tribute to Cari, a literacy coach at Harbordale Elementary, and then Mr. RUBIO honors Krista Stanley, the Okeechobee County Teacher of the year from Yearling Middle School. Mr. RUBIO also recognizes Sergio’s Family Restaurant of Miami, FL, as the Senate Small Business of the Week and describes a PPP loan that let the business keep its employees paid until Miami reopened. Mr. SANDERS asks to have printed in the RECORD finalist essays from the 10th annual State of the Union essay contest for Vermont high school students.
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“Tribute to Krista Stanley; Recognizing Sergio’s Family Restaurant — Congressional Record, Senate, July 21, 2020.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-07-21-crec-2020-07-21-pt1-pgs4344-2-242b586c99/
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S4344 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 21, 2020
Cari believes that the student experi- taurant as a small sandwich shop off of Rescue teams. Additionally, Carlos
ence should never be boring. Each day, Bird Road in Miami. Equipped with worked with U.S. Department of
she works to create a space where stu- generations of family recipes, Blanca Health and Human Services and the
dents can truly enjoy what they are sought to honor her Cuban heritage. Florida Restaurant Lodging Associa-
learning in her classroom. From com- Her shop provided employment for sev- tion to provide more than 350,000 reus-
posing a new song that helps with eral refugees, providing dignified work able masks for hospitality workers in
memorizing multiplication facts, to as they built new lives. She offered a South Florida.
building igloo prototypes showing a fresh take on Cuban and American cui- When the U.S. Small Business Ad-
better understanding of life in the Arc- sine, and her sandwich shop became a ministration launched the Paycheck
tic regions, Cari goes to creative local hit. Protection Program, it provided a
lengths to make both teaching and Today, Sergio’s Family Restaurant much needed lifeline to small busi-
learning fun. has expanded to 13 locations in South nesses, including Sergio’s Restaurant.
Cari is a literacy coach at Harbordale Florida. Carlos Gazitua, the chief exec- The PPP provides forgivable loans to
Elementary and has taught for 21 utive officer, is the third generation impacted small businesses and non-
years. The success of her students family member to lead Sergio’s. Under profits who maintain their payroll dur-
serves as her inspiration, and she en- his leadership, the business has ex- ing the COVID–19 pandemic. Thanks to
courages them to make the learning panded its community involvement and a PPP loan, Sergio’s was able to keep
process fun, not only in her class, but emphasized healthy living while re- their employees paid until Miami re-
also in their future endeavors. taining its signature flavor. Sergio’s opened. Their community leadership
I extend my best wishes and sincere has been recognized by the Florida De- and advocacy was recognized by Gov-
gratitude to Cari for her dedication to partment of Health as the first cer- ernor Ron DeSantis who visited Ser-
teaching. I look forward to hearing of tified restaurant to take part in the gio’s in early June.
her continued good work in the years Healthy Happens Here restaurant ini- Through their service and leadership,
ahead.∑ tiative, incorporating low-calorie Sergio’s Family Restaurant is an out-
f versions of traditional Cuban eats on standing example of how small busi-
TRIBUTE TO KRISTA STANLEY their menu. nesses uplift their communities. I com-
At the local and State level and mend their support for local small
∑ Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, today among its industry peers, Sergio’s has businesses. Congratulations to Carlos
I honor Krista Stanley, the Okeechobee been recognized for its outstanding cui- and the entire team at Sergio’s res-
County Teacher of the year from Year- sine. They were named Best Drive-Thru taurant. I look forward to watching
ling Middle School in Okeechobee, FL. of 2015 by the Miami New Times, recog-
Krista is a sixth grade teacher and your continued growth and success
nized as the 2017 Restaurant of the throughout South Florida.∑
has taught at Yearling Middle School
Year by the South Florida Tourism f
for the past 4 years. She serves as the
Professional Awards, and their tradi-
school math representative, a mentor VERMONT STATE OF THE UNION
tional empanadas were featured in
for new teachers, and facilitates profes- ESSAY CONTEST FINALISTS
‘‘Florida’s Best Cheap Eats’’ by Travel
sional development focusing on stand-
& Leisure Magazine. Additionally, the ∑ Mr. SANDERS. Madam President, I
ards based instruction. Krista was pre-
city of Miami and Miami-Dade County ask to have printed in the RECORD
viously named the Project One New
mayors honored Sergio’s with Croqueta some of the finalist essays written by
Teacher of the Year for Okeechobee
Day on October 2, 2018. On this day, Vermont High School students as part
County in 2016.
Krista believes that all students can Sergio’s served its 20 millionth of the 10th annual ‘‘State of the Union’’
learn if they are given the opportunity croqueta—croquette. essay contest conducted by my office.
to do so in the classroom. She is appre- As a community leader, Sergio’s has The material follows:
ciative of her students and cares for advocated for several nonprofit organi- MADELYN TRIMPI, WOODSTOCK UNION HIGH
zations and local small businesses. In SCHOOL, JUNIOR
them, considering them to be the rea-
son for her success as a teacher. 2015, Sergio’s donated food to a Live Plastic is destroying the earth and a fed-
Like Bella Childhood Cancer Founda- eral law to restrict single-use plastics must
Throughout the school year, Krista be developed. Plastic is a huge contributor to
provides her students with the tools tion event. Then-Governor RICK SCOTT
recognized Sergio’s service in 2017, climate change and greenhouse gas emis-
they need to be successful and dedi- sions that are warming the atmosphere. An
cates each day to helping them in any when they collected and shipped food article called ‘‘How Plastics Contribute to
way she can. Reflecting her commit- and supplies to Puerto Rico after Hur- Climate Change’’ by Brooke Bauman from
ment, in 2019, 86 percent of Krista’s stu- ricane Maria devastated the island. Yale Climate Connections states ‘‘plastic
dents earned a proficient score on the When Super Bowl LIV was held in originates as fossil fuels and emits green-
Florida State Assessment. Miami in 2020, Sergio’s partnered with house gasses from cradle to grave.’’ At the
I extend my best wishes to Krista for The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade to beginning of its life cycle, gas and oil are
raise funds for its mission to create fracked from the ground, then made into
her tireless efforts and care she gives plastic releasing harmful pollutants like CO2
to her students. I look forward to hear- awareness and preventing sex traf-
and nitrogen oxide that get stuck in the at-
ing of her continued good work in the ficking. Additionally, Carlos has advo- mosphere and warm the earth. Along with
years to come.∑ cated for small business in local and in- greenhouse gas emissions, plastic pollutes
f dustry events, including the ‘‘Bring the ecosystems by simply entering and never
Small Business Back’’ initiative. leaving. In the same article by Yale, sci-
RECOGNIZING SERGIO’S FAMILY Like many Floridian small busi- entists state ‘‘plastics can break down into
RESTAURANT nesses, Sergio’s Family Restaurant smaller pieces called microplastics through
∑ Mr. RUBIO. Madam President, as stepped up to help its community dur- biodegradation or exposure to the sun, heat
chairman of the Senate Committee on ing the coronavirus pandemic. They or water. These microplastics scatter to all
participated in several social media, comers of the globe and even to the depths of
Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the oceans. Toxic chemicals can bind micro-
each week I recognize a small business radio, and video initiatives encour- plastics and create poison pills that marine
that exemplifies the American entre- aging support for local, family-owned animals eat’’ When a foreign substance en-
preneurial spirit at the heart of our small businesses. Partnering with the ters the ecosystem, it threatens all aspects
country. It is my privilege to recognize Miami Heat and the Miami Dade Coun- of the life cycle; Including humans.
ty Public School Superintendent, Ser- Biodiversity is the root of life on earth and
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with SENATE
a family-owned small business known
for its community leadership and au- gio’s Restaurant provided meals for when exposed to something like plastic, ev-
more than 500 people in the Liberty erything feels an effect. For example, re-
thentic Cuban cuisine. This week, it is
search shows that plastic has entered into
my pleasure to honor Sergio’s Family City area. Sergio’s collaborated with
the human body most likely through food
Restaurant of Miami, FL, as the Sen- Meals for Heroes Miami to feed local like fish and other meats. Animals eat the
ate Small Business of the Week. healthcare workers and first respond- microplastics thinking they are nutrients;
In 1975, Blanca Cabrera opened what ers, including donating approximately we eat the fish, therefore consuming the
would become Sergio’s Family Res- 1,400 meals to the Miami-Dade Fire plastic in them. This can lead to many
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