[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2017]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         MARTIN WALZER HONORED

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 13, 2002

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the attention of the 
House of Representatives to the service to the community of Martin 
Walzer, who will receive the Robert N. Pursel Distinguished Community 
Achievement Award. The Danville, Pennsylvania, Chapter of the American 
Red Cross will present this award to him on November 16 in recognition 
of his lifetime of service to the community.
  Mr. Walzer was born in 1942 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the third 
child of Martin Shubert and Mary Flexer Walzer. He graduated from the 
Hill School in Pottstown and graduated from Cornell University with a 
degree in agricultural economics. His connection to the Danville area 
began when he went to work in sales for his father's wholesale food 
distribution company.
  One of his customers in the Danville area was the owner of the Pine 
Barn Inn, Margaret Bush, and when she decided to get out of that 
business, he bought it and has become known as Danville's ``goodwill 
ambassador.'' He has also grown the business over the years and it now 
has more than twice as many rooms as it did when he bought it.
  Mr. Walzer is a member of the Danville Area Community Center board of 
directors and a founding member of the Danville Area Community 
Foundation executive board. He has participated in numerous additional 
community organizations over the years, including the Danville Chamber 
of Commerce, Iron Heritage Festival, Montour County Recreation 
Authority and the Greater Danville Industrial Development Corporation.
  He has also made large-scale contributions to the community, such as 
donating the land that Geisinger Medical Center used to create its main 
entrance as well as donating approximately $6,000 to the Danville Area 
Community Center by covering the cost of its 15th anniversary 
fundraising dinner.
  ``Just as generous, though, are the many smaller kindnesses,'' as the 
Danville News stated in the article announcing Mr. Walzer had been 
chosen for this award.
  Because his inn is next to the busy Geisinger Medical Center, Mr. 
Walzer has taken advantage of many opportunities to put his generosity 
and caring into action, whether that simply means being supportive to 
families with a loved one in the hospital with a serious illness or 
injury or going further to loan them clothes and give them rides to 
Williamsport or Scranton.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to call to the attention of the House of 
Representatives the long record of service to the community of Martin 
Walzer, and I congratulate him on this well-deserved award.

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