[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 120 (Tuesday, August 2, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1494-E1495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING LACY AND DOROTHY HARBER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 2, 2011

  Mr. HALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a wonderful couple from 
Denison, Texas, and outstanding community leaders--Lacy and Dorothy 
Harber. I have known Lacy and Dorothy Harber for many years and they 
are beloved and respected for their outstanding philanthropic work, 
generous spirit, and many contributions to their community. Knowing 
people like Lacy and Dorothy--and gratitude for their close 
friendship--is a great part of the benefits I receive as a Member of 
Congress.
  This year the Harbers were awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 
presented by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. Each year, 
NECO honors ``remarkable Americans who exemplify outstanding qualities 
in both their personal and professional lives, while continuing to 
preserve the richness of their particular heritage . . . creating a 
better world for all of us in the future by the work they do today.''
  The Harbers are in good company, joining past winners of the Ellis 
Island Medal of Honor, including Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald 
Ford, Rosa Parks, and Bob Hope.
  The couple's desire to help others springs from Lacy's humble 
beginnings. His father was a city bus driver and his mother cooked in a 
school lunch room. With four children in the family, Lacy, at the age 
of seven, began selling popcorn at baseball games.
  From an early age, Lacy also suffered from severe scoliosis which, 
left untreated, would have likely prevented him from walking as an 
adult. At the time, the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas was 
developing new treatments for physically challenged children without 
charging for service. The hospital provided treatment for Lacy for nine 
years, and when he reached high school he was able to take his back 
brace off and compete on the track team.
  Lacy learned from any early age the value of hard work and the 
understanding of what it means to do without. Through hard work, Lacy 
has become one of America's most successful entrepreneurs, and the 
couple has used their good fortune to improve the lives of those around 
them.
  Lacy and Dorothy, who have been married over fifty years, wholly own 
the American Bank of Texas, but take no profits from the business. 
Rather, the profits go to charities and to those less fortunate. They 
have been known to pick up restaurant tabs for fellow patrons, hand out 
$100 bills, provide fishing and

[[Page E1495]]

boating trips for children with physical or mental challenges, and give 
multi-million dollar donations to charities. Among the recipients of 
their generous gifts are Texoma Medical Center, Wilson N. Jones Medical 
Center, and Abilene Christian University. Recently, the couple helped 
buy a wheelchair and seek assistance for a handicapped teacher.
  The Harbers routinely deflect attention from themselves with an 
humble attitude, stating that they merely enjoy helping others, 
adopting a ``live to give'' philosophy as they choose to share their 
good fortune with others. Their selfless giving is an inspiration to 
live a humble life in service to others. Mr. Speaker, I ask those here 
today to rise in honor of this most generous couple who represent the 
best values of philanthropy, Lacy and Dorothy Harber.

                          ____________________