[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 81 (Friday, June 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E966]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF BRENDAN HAAS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, June 1, 2012

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of nine-year-
old Brendan Haas, a resident of Kingston, Massachusetts, who has 
displayed the most profound sense of generosity and caring to the 
family of a fallen soldier.
  In February, Brendan set up a Facebook page called ``A Soldier for a 
Soldier,'' which involves ``trading up'' items for something bigger and 
better. His intention was always to donate the best item he received to 
a military family. Through this project, Brendan began with a single 
toy soldier and spent three months dedicated to trading for bigger and 
better things before he received the item he wanted to donate. Brendan 
then held a raffle with the names of families across the country and 
ended up drawing the name Liberty Hope Steele, the daughter of Timothy 
Steele, a soldier from his native Massachusetts who was killed in 
Afghanistan last August. On Memorial Day, Brendan presented the Steele 
family with a free vacation to Disney World.
  Brendan's generosity knows no bounds, as he recently demonstrated a 
second time. Recognized for his actions during the morning telecast of 
``Good Morning America,'' Brendan was informed that the Walt Disney 
Company was awarding him and his family an all-expense paid vacation to 
Disney World for what he had done on behalf of the Steele family. 
Brendan; however, refused to accept the trip for himself; instead, he 
said it would be raffled away to another military family.
  This type of selflessness is years beyond what we would expect of a 
young boy. Brendan has made his community and his country very proud.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Brendan Haas for his 
remarkable spirit, dedication and generosity. I know we will see more 
great things from him in the future.

                          ____________________