[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 190 (Tuesday, December 15, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E3012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE HEROIC GENEROSITY OF CLARA WARD OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

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                      HON. KATHLEEN A. DAHLKEMPER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2009

  Mrs. DAHLKEMPER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
extraordinary woman in Erie, Pennsylvania, who has dedicated her life 
to helping the children of her community. Clara Ward, the founder of 
the Youth Development and Family Center in Erie, was the star of 
``Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,'' this week, where her indomitable 
spirit and dedication to the well-being of children in need was 
rewarded with an amazing renovation to her more than eighty year old 
home.
  Clara Ward, with her son Bennie and daughter Cynthia, has continually 
put aside her own needs to take care of the children in her community. 
Too often, the children in Clara's neighborhood lack the care and 
resources they need to succeed, to be healthy and safe. These children 
rely on the generosity of their ``Aunt Clara'' to have a safe haven 
after school, where they can play off the streets and out of harm's 
way.
  Many of the children who come to the Youth Development and Family 
Center would go to bed hungry without the generosity of Clara, Bennie 
and Cynthia, who feed and welcome children into their home almost every 
day. Not only does Clara provide a safe space, but she offers these 
children clothes, blankets and toys that they might not otherwise have. 
This time every year, Clara gives toys to 300 children for the 
holidays.
  Clara's boundless generosity is all the more remarkable given her own 
condition. Clara suffers from myasthenia gravis, a degenerative 
muscular disease that requires her to use a wheelchair. In her old 
home, Clara's mobility was severely limited and she struggled to move 
through rooms and hallways that had no space for her wheelchair. Now, 
thanks to the renovation, Clara can move with ease through a home 
designed with her needs in mind.
  Clara Ward's selflessness has inspired the entire community of Erie. 
It was her good work that motivated local builder John Maleno and his 
family to nominate Clara for ``Extreme Makeover,'' which drew 3,000 
volunteers and donations from 200 companies. Clara's story has inspired 
our city and helped us show the world that Erie, Pennsylvania, is a 
place where neighbors look out for each other and the spirit of 
generosity runs deep.
  Madam Speaker, it is my proud duty to enter the name of Clara Ward in 
the record of the United States House of Representatives as a hero of 
Erie, Pennsylvania.

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