[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 65 (Friday, May 10, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RETIREMENT OF WILLIAM CARL GARNER

                                 ______


                      HON. BLANCHE LAMBERT LINCOLN

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 9, 1996

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of this 
country's most dedicated public servants who is ending his illustrious 
career of service in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. William Carl 
Garner began his service with the corps upon graduation from college in 
1938 and has been a fixture in the corps in the 58 years since. During 
that time, he has amassed a list of accomplishments and awards that 
will be difficult to match.
  Mr. Garner has spent most of his career as the chief resident 
engineer of the Greers Ferry Lake located in central Arkansas in the 
congressional district I represent. He arrived at the project while the 
lake was still in the planning stages and turned the first shovel of 
dirt to start construction in 1959. When the dam was completed in 1963, 
President Kennedy came to Arkansas to personally dedicate it. Mr. 
Garner was at his side during the ceremony, even riding in the 
Presidential limousine to the festivities. Under his care and guidance, 
the lake has become the most popular recreational attraction in the 
State of Arkansas.
  As any visitor to Greers Ferry Lake will tell you, his lifetime labor 
of love and dedication has produced one of the cleanest and most 
beautiful lakes in the country. This is directly attributable to the 
persistence of Mr. Garner. By 1970 the lake had become popular enough 
that debris was noticeable all along the 300-mile shoreline. This 
disturbed Mr. Garner, so he found a solution. Enlisting an army of 300 
local volunteers, he established a national trend by holding the first 
annual cleanup day. Since that time, groups from across the Nation 
followed his example and now the first Saturday after Labor Day is 
known as National Federal Public Lands Day Cleanup. Earlier this year, 
the House passed a bill which would recognize Mr. Garner's contribution 
by renaming the cleanup day after him. The Senate has also agreed to 
similar language and it is my hope that the President will sign this 
most fitting tribute into law soon.
  Among the many awards recognizing his illustrious service, he has 
been named the Arkansas Tourism Council's Man of the Year, received the 
Department of the Army National Exceptional Civilian Service Award--the 
Corps of Engineers' highest civilian honor--and was chosen as the 
Federal Service Employee of the Year for the State of Arkansas. 
Additionally, the cleanup program he started has received recognition 
from numerous national environmental organizations.
  Although Mr. Garner will no longer be serving as chief engineer, I am 
sure he will maintain an active role at the lake and on the State and 
national level. He leaves an enduring legacy, in both the cleanup 
programs he started and the beautiful lake which he maintained and 
developed from its inception. I have been personally honored and 
privileged to have known such a great man and I count his friendship 
and guidance as one of my most precious possessions from my time in 
Congress. I would urge all of my colleagues to join me in paying 
tribute to a great public servant and a great man, Mr. William Carl 
Garner.

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