[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E878-E879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING DIETER HEINZ DUBBERKE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 19, 2010

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and 
congratulate Dieter Heinz Dubberke upon being awarded with the 
Americanism Medal from the National Society Daughters of the American 
Revolution. Mr. Dubberke will be recognized and honored by the Merced 
River Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution on 
Saturday, April 24, 2010.
  Mr. Dieter Dubberke grew up in Natzlaff, Germany in the late 1930s. 
As a young child, his mother and brother moved around Germany, 
attempting to flee from the Russians as they swept through parts of 
Germany. The three were finally able to reach Reinbek, a city in the 
Western Sector, where they were reunited with his maternal grandmother. 
At the age of 13, Mr. Dubberke's mother passed away, leaving him and 
his brother to care for their elderly grandmother. It was decided that 
the brothers would travel to the United States, where they would be 
adopted by their uncle Max Dubberke.
  Arriving in the United States, Mr. Dubberke settled in with his uncle 
and attended high school in Culver City, California. Upon graduating 
from high school, he joined the United States Army. He served in the 
Army for 3 years, and then returned to California to marry his high 
school sweetheart, Diane, and began working for the Safeway 
Corporation.
  Mr. Dubberke eventually moved to Mariposa, California. With his 
strong entrepreneurial spirit and grocery experience, he opened a small 
mini-mart. Later, he established Pioneer Market in Mariposa, and 
Dubberke and Dubberke Investments. Today, he serves as Chief Executive 
Officer of Dubberke and Dubberke Investments, which has five entities 
and eighty employees.
  Mr. Dubberke is an instrumental part of the Mariposa community. He 
values and displays hard work, common sense, determination, honor and 
integrity. He is a champion of small business owners' rights and in his 
own business he hires local people, especially high school students, 
and provides generous benefits to his employees. Mr. Dubberke sponsors 
the annual Grizzly Family Hoedown, an event that has raised more than 
$20,000 in funds for transportation to non-league athletic events. He 
also sponsors the annual Mariposa High School Golf Tournament, in 
support of the

[[Page E879]]

school's athletic programs. He initiated the Sports Challenge program, 
whereby he contributes one percent of collected receipts to school 
sports and exercise programs to Mariposa Elementary School. Mr. 
Dubberke often supplies ice to booths, concessions and exhibitors 
during the annual Mariposa County Fair, Homecoming and other community 
events.
  Mr. Dubberke has held numerous leadership positions. He was appointed 
by the Governor to the Mariposa County Fair, Board of Directors. He has 
also served on the Mariposa County Water Agency Advisory Board and is 
past president of the Sierra Edelweiss German Club. For his tremendous 
service to his community, Mr. Dubberke has been honored with the 
Western Fairs Association's Blue Ribbon Award, Central California 
Excellence in Business Award in 2005, California Outstanding Retailer 
of the Month and was named Businessman of the Year in 2000 by the 
Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce.
  The Americanism Medal is awarded to a person that has demonstrated 
extraordinary qualities of leadership, trustworthiness, service and 
patriotism. Mr. Dubberke has certainly met those qualifications; he 
understands the responsibility as an American citizen to respect the 
flag, teach others to support our Constitution, participate in 
government and to give back to our country. Mr. Dubberke recently 
published a book, ``Three Times Blessed,'' in which he teaches valuable 
lessons on what it takes to find true happiness and success.
  Mr. Dubberke and his wife have been married for over 50 years; they 
have four children and eight grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Dieter 
Dubberke upon being honored with the Americanism Medal. I invite my 
colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Dubberke many years of continued 
success.

                          ____________________