[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 61 (Tuesday, April 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
A TRIBUTE ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEDICATION OF THE DENNIS MALONEY
COMMUNITY JUSTICE CENTER
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HON. GREG WALDEN
of oregon
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a
dear friend and an exceptional community leader who tragically passed
away in February of this year, Mr. Dennis ``Denny'' Maloney. Today
Denny's friends, family and colleagues gather in Deschutes County,
Oregon to celebrate his life with the dedication of the new ``Dennis
Maloney Community Justice Center.'' This is a fitting tribute to a man
who gave so generously of his time and his talents throughout a
distinguished career in service to others.
My colleagues, Denny Maloney was born on March 20, 1951 in Green Bay,
Wisconsin, to Patrick and Carol Maloney. Denny graduated with honors
from the University of Wisconsin, where he studied humanities. It was
in Minnesota where Denny would acknowledge his most significant
achievement occurred. It is there that he met and married his lovely
wife, Nancy. Together, they raised five outstanding daughters, Tracy,
Shannon, Caitlin, Kelly and Molly. Those who knew Denny knew not only a
man with a strong sense of civic commitment, but a father and husband
with tremendous devotion and commitment to his family.
Madam Speaker, those of us in Oregon, especially communities in
central Oregon, are so fortunate that Denny's upbringing and education
instilled in him the drive and desire to make the world a better place.
He led by example, and remarkable results followed. Denny was a
longtime advocate for troubled youth and was a nationally recognized
expert and innovator on the subject of juvenile rehabilitation. Madam
Speaker, Denny didn't believe in giving up on someone. He saw the
inherent good in humanity and in the people he met, and he devoted his
life to giving people a second chance. Denny worked to ensure that
troubled youth received mentoring and counseling, while demonstrating
the significant value of being an upstanding member of society and a
real contributor within one's community. Simply put, Denny Maloney
positively changed the lives of many of his fellow citizens.
During his lifetime, Denny amassed over 30 years of experience in the
field of community corrections. For 16 years, he served as the Director
of the Deschutes County Department of Community Justice in my home
state of Oregon. There, he initiated a variety of juvenile and adult
corrections programs that are globally renowned.
He wrote extensively about the methods he developed and the positive
impact of his programs is evident not only across our nation but in the
international community as well. Nearly 30 states restructured their
entire juvenile justice systems based on Denny's presentation on
restorative justice. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has
distributed information based on Denny's juvenile justice research to
over 250 countries and his methods are being used worldwide as a
foundation for justice system reform.
Madam Speaker, during his phenomenal career of contributions, Denny
Maloney generously shared his experience and his expertise with others.
The work that he did improved the lives of countless people across our
country, and I'm grateful to have known him.
While his services and accomplishments speak volumes, perhaps most
importantly, Denny Maloney inspired all who knew him to do more to help
those in need and to improve the quality of life for all citizens. He
always wore an infectious smile, and he encouraged us to keep a
positive attitude in our work and throughout our daily lives. He was a
good friend and trusted counselor to me and to many others. We will all
miss his wisdom, wit, enthusiasm and ability, and we will never forget
the mark he left in our communities and in our hearts.
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