[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO EARL FREUDENBERG

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Everett). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Wamp] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend a man who has made 
unique and valuable contributions to his chosen calling, radio 
broadcast journalism, and to the community as a whole in Chattanooga in 
the Third District of Tennessee, which I have the honor to represent.
  In many ways, Earl Freudenberg is a perfect example of how to get 
ahead and better yourself in America. He started early, worked hard, 
and moved up the ranks quickly. But Earl Freudenberg is not the kind of 
man who would be content simply bettering his own lot in life. 
Throughout his life, Earl Freudenberg has served as a fine example of 
the doer and the joiner who pitches in to help out on all manner of 
worthy community projects.
  Earl got his feet wet in radio broadcasting when he was barely in his 
teens. While still at Northside Junior High School in Chattanooga, Earl 
helped out at WAPO Radio in Chattanooga by pulling copy off the wire 
machine to help the sportcaster broadcast road game scores for the 
Chattanooga Lookouts baseball team. As a junior at the Kirkman 
Technical High School in Chattanooga, Early wrote advertising copy for 
WAPO and later he operated the control board at the station.
  The day Earl graduated from high school he was offered a weekend 
operators job at WDOD radio in Chattanooga and before long he had a job 
as program director at the station, becoming the youngest program 
director in the Chattanooga market. Earl Freudenberg had achieved solid 
success early in his chosen profession. But when duty called, Earl 
answered. He joined the U.S. Army in 1970 and served in South Carolina 
and Germany. While overseas he worked on the staff of the Armed Forces 
Network.
  After his military service, Earl returned to Chattanooga to become 
news director at WDOD. In the early 1980's he broadened his experience 
by serving a stint as news director at WDEF, channel 12, the CBS 
television affiliate in Chattanooga. Later he returned to WDOD where he 
has remained since.
  But--as I said a moment ago--Earl is one of Chattanooga's doers. For 
years, he served as announcer for Chattanooga's nationally acclaimed 
Armed Forces Day parade. He has pitched in for numerous civic 
organizations in the Chattanooga area. A special cause of Earl's is the 
Chattanooga Police Forgotten Child Fund. Each year at Christmastime 
Earl broadcasts from the chilly parking lot of a shopping center in 
Chattanooga in an effort to build support for this wonderful venture. 
He doesn't mind--he even seems to enjoy--braving the cold weather to 
bring some warmth into the lives of little children. He also serves on 
the Forgotten Child Fund's board and on the governing groups of several 
other civic groups, including Bethel Bible Village, the Kidney 
Foundation, and Teen Challenge to name but a few of his civic efforts. 
His achievements have been recognized both by his professional 
associates and the community at large. In 1978, he was recognized by 
Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalists society, and in 1981 Earl 
Freudenberg was named Tennessee Press Association Broadcaster of the 
Year. He has won numerous community awards, including Red Bank 
Outstanding Citizen, the Walker County Law Enforcement Award, and the 
Scenic City Beautiful Award. In 1993, Earl won the coveted Chattanooga 
Downtown Sertoma Club's National Heritage Award. The award's citation 
gives a good summary of who Earl Freudenberg is. The Sertomans said the 
award was going ``to an individual who has not only dedicated a portion 
of his life to providing service to the community but has also 
dedicated his life to upholding the ideals upon which this country was 
founded.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud and honored to recognize on the House floor 
this fine citizen of the Third District of Tennessee.

                          ____________________