[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 130 (Thursday, September 30, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THANKS FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS, GARY LIEBER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize 
Gary Lieber. He is a man who has given a lifetime of government 
service. After 23 years with the post office he has decided to retire 
and in his words, ``Do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.''
  Many years ago, when Gary began his service at the Glenwood Springs, 
Colorado Post Office, one rural carrier and three city carriers 
delivered all the mail to the community. In his years of service, he 
has seen the city grow to three rural routes and seven city carriers.
  Gary Lieber worked every position in the post office, from overnight 
sorter, to supervisor, to examination specialist at the front counter. 
In working those many jobs, he has encountered many people and been a 
wonderful influence on all of them. One of those people, his daughter 
Kelly, decided five years ago to follow her father's footsteps and join 
the post office.
  It is with this, Mr. Speaker, that I say thank you to Gary Lieber, 
for years of dedicated service to our government. For many years to 
come Gary's legacy of hard work and dedication will be remembered.

             RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF PAUL MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear 
friend and remarkable individual, Paul Martin, and to recognize him for 
his commitment to riparian restoration and education on his Stemple 
Creek ranch in the community of Two Rick in Sonoma County, California, 
the district I am privileged to represent. I truly wish I were able to 
join Paul, his family and their many friends at The Bay Institute's 
``Partners Protecting the Bay'' Celebration tonight as Paul accepts the 
Carla Bard Bay Education Award. Paul was the first rancher willing to 
work with the 4th grade students of the Shrimp Project of Brookside 
School. Today, because of his vision and enthusiasm, there are 
increasing numbers of students and teachers doing creek restoration on 
Sonoma and Marin ranches each year.
  It was in the winter of 1993 when the fourth graders asked Paul if 
they could plant willows at Stemple Creek on his property. They had 
begun a project to help save an endangered species, the California 
Freshwater Shrimp. Paul allowed the students to come on his property 
and plant willows, blackberries and other native plants along the 
creek. He worked with them every step of the way, digging the holes 
with the posthole digger, and watering the new plants with a bucket. He 
fenced off part of this land to protect the new plantings, temporarily 
giving up the land for grazing.
  I have been to his ranch on Stemple Creek many times and have seen 
the students' excitement as they plant the willow sprigs. Those sprigs 
are now full-grown trees, shading the creek and providing homes for 
Valley quail, yellow warbler, California freshwater shrimp, spiders, 
duck and more.
  We have learned so much from Paul. He is a marvelous teacher, and a 
great supporter of education. He is always thinking about how a 
particular experience will best benefit the children's education. He 
has taught suburban students and teachers about a rancher's life--the 
complex problems, the joys and the hard, hard work. He is wise and 
patient always taking time to explain things that are important.
  Paul is modest about his gifts and his involvement, preferring to 
allow others to shine, but his influence is widespread. He has affected 
people's ideas about what is possible in education, even at a national/
international level. The collaborative work begun on Stemple Creek has 
received local, national and international media attention and awards. 
Paul made this possible. The Shrimp Project shows that people who might 
have differing views--environmentalists, ranchers, students, 
biologists, teachers, businesspeople--don't have to agree on 
everything, but can still work together to achieve some common goals. 
These new relationships result in increased understanding, tolerance 
and appreciation of everyone involved.
  Because of Paul's generosity, his ranch is now a model of cooperation 
between a rancher and environmental project students and teachers. 
Because of his dedication to this community and to education, other 
ranchers and teachers are inspired to take part in this kind of 
cooperative effort. One class has become 90 classes. The Shrimp Project 
continues today as the STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring A 
Watershed) Project, facilitated by The Bay Institute and the Center for 
Ecoliteracy. As the creek gets healthier, the community is enriched and 
enlightened. As the students plant at other ranchers in Marin and 
Sonoma counties, Paul continues to be an important voice for 
collaborative restoration and is a model for so many others