[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING HENRY A. DAWSON

                                 ______


                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 4, 1996

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay 
tribute to an outstanding individual from my district, Mr. Henry A. 
Dawson. Mr. Dawson will retire this month after 22 years of dedicated 
service as the executive director of the Springfield Girls Club Family 
Center.
  A native of Rocky Mount, NC, Mr. Dawson enjoyed distinguished 
military and athletic careers before arriving in Springfield in 1970 to 
pursue a masters degree at Springfield College and to begin his tenure 
at the Girls Club Family Center. For the last 22 years Henry Dawson has 
served as the executive director of the Family Center and has touched 
the lives of thousands of young people in the Springfield area.
  Under Mr. Dawson's direction, the Family Center established many 
outstanding programs. Among these projects are the Project Extra Plus 
and Project Extra Plus Preschool, which provided day care with a large 
variety of recreational activities for school-age and preschool 
children during nonschool hours. In addition, Mr. Dawson also 
established the Family Center City Camp which provided day care for 150 
children during the summer months, and Camp Mishnoah, a summer resident 
camp that provided a quality multicultural camping experience for 
thousands of girls who might otherwise have been denied such an 
experience.
  Mr. Dawson's, ability to create outstanding programs for young people 
is possibly surpassed only by his ability to raise the funds to keep 
these programs in operation. Over the years, the Family Center has 
experienced major funding reductions, and despite this loss, the 
center's budget has grown and shown an average annual excess of 
$37,000. This is the result of proven investment practices by Mr. 
Dawson that have enabled the Family Center to accumulate a respectable 
endowment and operate deficit free for the pass 22 years. This sound 
fiscal management will ensure that the Family Center will continue its 
outstanding work for many years to come.
  On behalf of the citizens of the Second Congressional district of 
Massachusetts, I would like to offer a heartfelt thanks to Henry Dawson 
for his tireless work with young people and wish him the best as he 
begins his retirement. His contributions to the youth of Springfield 
are immeasurable and I am honored to represent such an outstanding 
individual. People like Henry Dawson are the reason the Boys and Girls 
Clubs of America have been able to make such a difference in the lives 
of America's youth for the past century. Thank you Henry and good luck.

                          ____________________