[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 12, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E9]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         COMMENDING ZACH BONNER

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                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 12, 2010

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Zach 
Bonner, one of my young constituents whose humanitarian work has earned 
him the Most Inspiring Person of the Year award from Beliefnet.com.
  Zach created a charitable enterprise, the Little Red Wagon 
Foundation, when he was eight years old to help children in need. Zach 
has been doing humanitarian work since he was just six years old, 
handing out water from his red wagon after a hurricane. He has raised 
money to help provide meals to needy families during the holidays and 
has donated needed school supplies to children from lower-income 
families.
  Zach recently began a walk across America to raise awareness about 
the problem of youth homelessness in our country. Zach will be walking 
2,225 miles to raise money to help homeless kids. He previously walked 
nearly 1,000 miles from Tampa to Washington D.C. for the same purpose. 
If he successfully completes his walk across the country--and I do not 
doubt that he will--Zach will become the youngest person to do so.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to represent such a fine young man who 
has dedicated himself to helping underprivileged children. It inspires 
me that he has done so when he is only twelve years old himself. His 
age certainly belies his maturity. I want to commend this fine young 
man to all of our colleagues and hold him as an example of the good 
that can be done by one dedicated individual.

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