[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2634-E2635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM HAROLD DENSMORE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEN CALVERT

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2007

  Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
an individual whose dedication and contributions to the community of 
Riverside, California are exceptional. Riverside has been fortunate to 
have dynamic and dedicated community leaders who willingly and 
unselfishly give their time and talent and make their communities a 
better place to live and work. William ``Bill'' Densmore is one of 
these individuals. On January 12, 2008 he will be honored at a 
retirement dinner.
  Bill was born October 17, 1945 in Turlock, California and he was 
raised in the small town of Newman, California with a population of 
2,500. He graduated from the prestigious University of California, 
Berkeley in 1967. Bill also attended Hastings College of the Law from 
1967 to 1969. Bill served his country honorably in the United States 
Coast Guard from 1969 to 1973. In 1973, he was employed by the 
Riverside County Department of Veterans

[[Page E2635]]

where he is now retiring from after 34 years of excellent service. He 
became Director of the Department in 1989.
  Bill has achieved many successes during his time as Director--not 
only for the Riverside County Department of Veterans but for the entire 
community of Riverside. He founded the Interagency Coalition on 
Homeless Veterans and hosted ten annual Homeless Veterans Care Fairs to 
publicize the plight of homelessness. Bill remains active as an 
advocate for homeless veterans, serving on the City's Homeless Task 
Force, the FEMA Local Board, and advocating with the JPA at March Air 
Force Base for a permanent facility for U.S. vets, and homeless 
veterans service provider. Bill also founded the Riverside National 
Cemetery's (RNC) Memorial Honor Detail, an all-volunteer organization 
providing military honors for veteran burials at RNC. Bill founded Vets 
Express, a free transportation service for veterans traveling from 
Blythe and the Coachella Valley to the VA Medical Center in Loma Linda. 
He worked to name a stretch of I-10 the Veterans' Memorial Freeway and 
successfully advocated for the placement of three VA Outpatient Clinics 
in Riverside County. Bill also founded the Annual Salute to Veterans' 
Parade in the City of Riverside.
  Bill has worked on several memorials and monuments task forces, 
including the Villegas Memorial, the Riverside County Wall of Honor, 
the Riverside County Veterans' Memorial, and the monuments and 
memorials at the Riverside National Cemetery. As a member of the 
Veterans' Advisory Committee, he instituted the annual David Goldware 
Friend of the Veteran Award, the Legislative Breakfast series, and 
regular county-wide veterans' benefits workshops. Bill has advocated 
for and staged events at RNC as a way of introducing RNC to more Inland 
Empire residents.
  Bill has also served on the GoRiverside Committee to promote the use 
of public transportation and he conducted the first county and state 
veterans' needs surveys, published the results with the help of the San 
Bernardino Veteran Service Officer, and distributed the surveys 
statewide to elected officials and veterans advocates and leaders. Bill 
continues to serve on the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery Committee to 
assist in restoration of this historic landmark in the city of 
Riverside and has served two four-year terms on the city of Riverside's 
Planning Commission.
  Bill Densmore's tireless passion for veterans and community service 
has contributed immensely to the betterment of the community of 
Riverside, California. Bill has been the heart and soul of our veterans 
community events and I am proud to call him a fellow community member, 
American and friend. I know that many community members are grateful 
for his service and salute him as he retires.

                          ____________________