[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 20, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1166-E1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING MARK DiCARLO, DELAWARE COUNTY'S FATHER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2001

  Mr. WELDON. Mr. Speaker, with Father's Day weekend just behind us, 
I'd like to take a moment to congratulate one special dad from my 
congressional district. Mark DiCarlo of Brookhaven, was recently named 
the Delaware County Daily Times ``Father of the Year.'' Mark DiCarlo 
has 3 children, Mark Jr. 11 years old, Danielle 8 and Tara 4. He and 
his wife Joan have been married for 13 years. In reading the letter 
that his family sent to the Times, it is clear that Mark shows the 
dedication and the commitment that it takes to raise a loving and 
caring family.
  Mark DiCarlo's family wrote to the Times stating all of the things 
that he, Mark, never forgets to do. Such as, coming home from work and 
helping the kids with their homework, playing with them, and making 
sure that chores around the house are completed. Mark's family also 
stated that he is always teaching them new things and working to ensure 
a bright future for all his children.
  But the most important thing Mark does comes last every night. Mark 
always, each and every night, tells his children, ``Daddy loves you.'' 
As a father of five myself, I know how important it is for children to 
hear that simple sentence each and every day. Children need to know 
that they have the full support and love of their parents. Through his 
simple decency and dedication to his family, Mark DiCarlo has shown us 
the true meaning of father's day. By his words and deeds, he has given 
us an example that all dads can follow.
  It is an honor to represent someone like Mark DiCarlo. He is an 
example for others to follow and no matter what, will always be one to 
his family.

                 Times Dad of the Year's a Positive Guy

                          (By Bette Alburger)

       Brookhaven--Who's the happiest person in the DiCarlo 
     household?
       It's a toss-up between the father of the family, 44-year-
     old Mark, his wife and the couple's three young children.
       Mark DiCarlo was chosen as this year's ``Daily Times Father 
     of the Year,'' based on the essay his son and two daughters 
     entered in the newspaper's second annual award competition. 
     He said he was ``in total shock'' when he learned that their 
     entry was judged the best of at least 500 submitted.
       He had no idea they'd nominated him for the honor.
       His wife of 13 years, Joan, said 11-year-old Mark Jr., 8-
     year-old Danielle and 4-year-old Tara decided on a different 
     twist for their essay containing the stipulated maximum 300 
     words.
       ``Most kids feel their father deserves to be honored 
     because of all the things he does,'' she said. ``But the 
     children said they thought their daddy should be `Father of 
     the Year' because of all the things he never does.''
       For instance, the youngsters pointed out in their essay, 
     their dad never says he's too tired to play with them or help 
     with a school project. He never lets their mom do all the 
     housework and he never sits around the house on his day off 
     doing nothing.
       He never loses patience with his family, and he never stops 
     teaching them new

[[Page E1167]]

     things. He never stops worrying about their future, either, 
     or how he can make his kids' childhood happy and full of good 
     memories.
       But most of all, the children wrote, he never forgets to 
     tell them how much he loves them. Every night when he tucks 
     them in and every morning before their day begins, he says 
     the same thing: ``Daddy loves you.''
       The children ended their essay by noting that ``if every 
     daddy were as special as ours, then the world would be a 
     better place.''
       Their winning effort could be called their love note to 
     their father. ``It's pretty flattering,'' said DiCarlo after 
     reading what they wrote. ``I guess they really do love me.''
       Employed in a family business, Delaware County's Number One 
     Dad is a lifelong county resident. He was born and reared in 
     Chester, graduated from St. James High School in 1975 and 
     from Widener University in 1980.
       It's the first time anyone in his family has ever won a 
     contest, he said. And that makes everyone in the family very 
     happy.
       As the grand prize winner of the ``Father of the Year'' 
     contest, DiCarlo receives a gas grill from Boscov's in 
     Granite Run Mall, a barbecue pack from Roy Tweedy's, dinner 
     at O'Flagherty's Restaurant, a $20 gift certificate from 
     Zac's Hamburgers and a massage from Relaxed of Norweek.
       He'll throw the first pitch out on the mound at a 
     Wilmington Blue Rocks game, where he and his family will be 
     guests of honor. He'll also get a personal handyman for four 
     hours, courtesy of CountyWide Home Improvement.
       First runner-up Garland Johnson of Chester gets a gas grill 
     from Home Depot in Upper Darby. Second runner-up Ken Cilinski 
     of Aldan receives a $100 gift certificate from Granite Run 
     Mall and third runner-up, John Aldins of Media, gets a $100 
     gift certificate from MacDade Mall.
       The runners-up also receive an hour of simulated golf from 
     3G Golf.

     

                          ____________________