[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 146 (Friday, October 17, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PAYING TRIBUTE TO ERSILIA CRUZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 17, 2003

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to pay tribute to 
an outstanding citizen from my district. Ersilia Cruz of Pueblo, 
Colorado led the charge to revitalize her neighborhood after it had 
begun to deteriorate before her eyes. Her efforts have helped 
resuscitate the community and transform the area into a better place to 
live. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ersilia for her 
hard work and congratulate her on her success.
  Having lived in the neighborhood for more than fifty years, Ersilia 
has seen a great deal of change take place in her community, much of 
which has occurred over the course of the past nine years. Old run-down 
homes have been scrapped and replaced with new ones, the local school 
has reopened and a community center has been erected, all due to the 
hard work of citizens like Ersilia committed to revitalizing their 
community.
  In addition to Ersilia's role in the revitalization of her community, 
she is also the mother of eight. She is a dedicated servant with 
numerous community action organizations and serves as a member of the 
local PTA, president of the neighborhood association, and a member of 
the Community Development Block Grant committee. For her efforts, 
Ersilia was recently awarded the 2003 NeighborWorks Dorothy Richardson 
Award, one of only ten people throughout the U.S. to receive this 
recognition.
  Thanks to Ersilia's determination to revive her neighborhood, the 
Hyde Park community is again a family friendly region. Not only did she 
receive a national award, the city of Pueblo also acknowledged her 
dedication by naming one of the streets in her community Cruz Circle in 
her honor. It is my pleasure to recount Ersilia's efforts here today, 
and I would also like to thank her for her tireless work. I wish her 
all the best.

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