Recognizing Layla Leuthy-peck's Good Deed

Floor Speech

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Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding accomplishment and good deed from a constituent from my district, Layla Leuthy-Peck.

Layla Leuthy-Peck is a 7-year-old first grade student at Saint Andrew's School in Newtown. After listening to Monsignor Michael Picard, pastor at St. Andrew's parish, telling the children about the importance of finding a way to serve others, she immediately thought of her best friend WW2 veteran Joe Gagliardi who was about to turn 100.

She remembered Joe telling her how much he misses visiting schools to tell the students about his service and the importance of service. He especially misses receiving all the wonderful handmade thank you cards from them afterwards.

With the help of her entire first grade classmates, Layla was able to get 100 handmade birthday cards for Joe's 100th birthday. To make it a day he will remember, Layla delivered the sack of cards to Joe riding in a Newtown firetruck which was escorted by the township police and many other emergency service vehicles in a parade of lights and sirens.

Mr. Gagliardi served in the United States Navy during WW2 on a Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boat that escorted General Douglas MacArthur and remembers seeing President John F. Kennedy on his PT Boat duty near him. Layla's father Sean Peck is an also a Veteran who served in Afghanistan and is currently a police officer in Penndel. Her great-grandfather, Ray Leuthy, a Corporal in the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division, parachuted into the Battle of the Bulge and was an escort driver for General George S. Patton, Jr.

The news story about Layla's special card delivery for her best friend has spread internationally along with her wish for more children to do a good deed for a veteran.

Layla's commitment to figuring out a creative and meaningful way to serve a WW2 veteran in a truly collaborative manner is to be commended. It is my hope that Layla will continue to find ways to serve veterans and be an example for other very young children to realize they too can make a difference. I would like to wish Layla the best in her future endeavors and once again congratulate her on fulfilling her mission to brighten the day for her best friend, Joe on his 100th birthday.

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