[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  HONORING BOY SCOUT TROOP 495, CONSERVATION YOUTH GROUP OF THE YEAR 
   AWARD RECIPIENT, LEWIS RUN, PA AND JAMES W. JOHNSON, CONSERVATION 
         EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENT, CUSTER CITY, PA

                                 ______


                      HON. WILLIAM F. CLINGER, JR.

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 24, 1994

  Mr. CLINGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Boy Scout 
Troop 495 of Lewis Run, PA, and Mr. James W. Johnson of Custer City, 
PA, on receiving awards from the Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation 
Achievement Program. Boy Scout Troop 495 was the recipient of the 
Conservation Youth Group of the Year Award, presented annually to a 
youth group in recognition of an outstanding conservation effort. Mr. 
Johnson was selected as the Conservation Educator of the Year, an award 
recognizing an individual for outstanding educational achievement 
through either formal or informal methods.
  Under the direction of Scoutmaster William Getz, Troop 495 has been 
instrumental in the environmental conservation of McKean County, PA. 
The creation of a camporee area at the Kinzua Bridge State Park, is a 
prime example of their commitment and dedication to the environment. 
Having cleared a 50-foot-by-250-foot area that was formerly a dumping 
ground for debris, the Scouts were successful in grading and seeding an 
area, that after 20,000 hours of public service, became the camporee 
area that currently serves hundreds of Scouts and Scouters.
  Troop 495's ongoing history of outstanding conservation efforts 
certainly has not gone unnoticed. They were honored as the Conservation 
Organization of the Year for 1992 by the Pennsylvania Association of 
Conservation Districts. Having also been honored by the U.S. Department 
of Interior, with the Volunteer Service Award for 1993, these awards 
testify to the obvious commitment Boy Scout Troop 495 and Scoutmaster 
Getz have made, and continued to make, on behalf of the environment.
  It is also my distinct pleasure to recognize Custer City resident, 
Mr. James Johnson, for his dedication to conservation. Appropriately, 
Mr. Johnson serves as the assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 
495. Mr. Johnson has earned the distinction of Conservation Educator of 
the Year as a result of his personal endeavors to inform young people 
about the importance of conservation in the areas of agriculture, fish 
and wildlife management, and forestry. Over the past 10 years, the 
programs Mr. Johnson helped implement provided over 20,000 hours of 
public service to county, State, and Federal lands, and have benefited 
more than 5,000 young people in Pennsylvania and surrounding States. 
Stream improvement projects, creation of permanent trail blazes, and 
the establishment of a traveling road show for conservation education 
purposes, are all projects resulting from Mr. Johnson's voluntarism.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to recognize, both Boy Scout 
Troop 495 and Mr. James Johnson, as award winners in the Pennsylvania 
Wildlife Federation Achievement Award Program. I offer them my sincere 
congratulations for the diligence with which they serve McKean County.

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