[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E369]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      IN TRIBUTE TO BRUCE DOWNING

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 21, 2000

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I recently had the pleasure of attending the 
annual meeting and recognition dinner of the United Way of Northern 
Shenandoah Valley, at which Bruce Downing of Winchester, Virginia, 
received the 1999 Volunteer of the Year Award.
  I would like to share with our colleagues the outstanding community 
service work of Mr. Downing, who was cited in one award nominating 
letter as ``a giant among men in this community. His calm, reassuring 
manner, his generosity, and his compassion for others are without 
measure. Bruce Downing has made the community a better place to live. 
He is a hero.''
  Mr. Downing, 52, began his community service in the mid-1960's when 
his college fraternity helped special needs children at a local school. 
He later became a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and other 
organizations including Grafton School, Access Independence, Help with 
Housing, ABBA Pregnancy Care Center, and numerous United Way boards and 
others.
  He and his wife, Donna, also donated one of their own family vans 
with a special wheelchair life to a family in need.
  Mr. Speaker, Bruce Downing represents the thousands upon thousands of 
giving and caring Americans who reach out as volunteers to help their 
fellow citizens. They do so not for any honors or recognition that may 
come their way; rather they do it with generous hearts because they 
want to make a difference in people's lives.
  We salute Bruce Downing and all the other volunteers of the United 
Way and the many other volunteer organizations who lend a helping hand 
every day of the year to serve their communities. They are indeed 
heroes.

                          ____________________