[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 76 (Friday, June 16, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S5306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO EZRA KOCH

 Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, ever since the days of the 
Oregon Trail, my state has been blessed with citizens dedicated to the 
spirit of ``neighbor helping neighbor.'' In every community in Oregon 
you can find men and women who give their time, effort, and money to 
making that community a better place in which to live, work, and raise 
a family. That is precisely what Ezra Koch has done in the community of 
McMinnville, and I am proud to pay tribute to him today.
  After over half a century of service as one of McMinnville's and 
Yamhill County's most respected businessmen, Ezra is retiring as 
President of City Sanitary and Recycling. A native Canadian, who 
immigrated to Oregon nearly eight years ago, Ezra and his family have 
truly lived the American dream.
  Under Ezra's leadership, City Sanitary and Recycling, and its parent 
company KE Enterprises, has become one of Oregon's leading sanitary 
companies--leading the effort to increase recycling long before it 
became a national cause. Ezra was the driving force behind the creation 
of the Oregon Refuse and Recycling Association, and served as president 
of the National Solid Waste Management Association.
  Ezra's love of his community can truly be seen in his volunteer and 
philanthropic efforts. The list of organizations and causes that have 
benefitted from his leadership and generosity include Linfield College, 
the McMinnville School District, Rotary International, the McMinnville 
Chamber of Commerce, and the United Way.
  Ezra credits his family with inspiring the values he has lived 
throughout his life. And his words are ones we should all take to 
heart. ``Even though we were a big family with poverty everywhere, we 
never lacked for enough to eat and share with others. A great tradition 
was born in our family of sharing what we have with those that are less 
fortunate, and that continues today.''
  I salute Ezra Koch for all he has done to strengthen the Oregon 
tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, and I wish him many more years 
of health and happiness.

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