[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 166 (Wednesday, November 20, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H7304-H7305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE HEROES OF NORTH CAROLINA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2013, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) is 
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.


                     In Praise of the PATH Program

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Larry Woods, a constituent of mine from 
Winston-Salem, is accomplishing groundbreaking work in service to local 
North Carolinians.
  Under Larry's leadership, the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem is 
transforming the template for North Carolina's housing programs through 
a program called PATH, or Projects for Assistance in the Transition 
from Homelessness.
  Through PATH, the housing authority works with community groups in 
service to families and individuals who are proactively seeking to 
reduce and eventually end their dependence on government support.
  PATH's community collaborations provide specialized job skills, 
education, employment preparation, and career placement services to 
equip families as they turn their dreams into reality. The PATH 
concept, championed by Larry Woods and his team, has capitalized on 
community resources, has eliminated duplication and gaps in service, 
and has reduced service costs.
  Participants in the PATH program soon will also be able to benefit 
from access to special ``step-up'' housing at the housing authority's 
new, modern facilities.
  In the near future, some individuals working to improve their lives 
through PATH will be able to move into the Oaks, a new 50-unit 
development located in Winston-Salem. The Oaks will feature a variety 
of apartments to fit residents' unique needs and provide a valuable 
incentive for participants as they move forward in their personal 
journeys toward self-sufficiency. An open house was recently held at 
the Oaks, where two completed units were shown to the public, and I 
would like to congratulate all involved on that accomplishment.
  Larry and his team's forward-thinking approach to public housing has 
changed the lives of many North Carolinians. The PATH program is just 
one component of their efforts to advance their mission of direct 
service in a fiscally responsible way.
  Communities throughout our country that are looking to overcome the 
challenges of homelessness can find new ideas to meet the needs of 
their citizens by looking to the great example of Winston-Salem's PATH 
program.


The Spirit of Service and Volunteerism: Dewey's Bakery and Forbush High 
                          School Band Boosters

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, community spirit is alive and well in North 
Carolina's Fifth District.
  The Forbush High School Band Boosters are creatively working toward 
the goal of replacing decades-old band uniforms and equipment. Booster 
volunteers have been fund-raising for this project for years because 
the $30,000 price tag goes well beyond a single year's budget.
  In their effort, they reached out to Dewey's Bakery in Winston-Salem, 
and the two have teamed to open a special Dewey's fund-raising store in 
Yadkinville, North Carolina, much like fund-raising stores operating 
for other schools in Clemmons and Boone. Mr. and Mrs. Clate and Josie 
Wingler of Yadkinville graciously donated a storefront, and right now 
Band Boosters are there, selling wonderful Dewey's products, as they 
will be until Christmas. The entire Yadkinville store is run by 
volunteers--band members, parents, grandparents, and community 
supporters; and more than one-third of the store's profits will go 
directly to the Forbush High School Band.
  This level of teamwork, spirit of volunteerism, generosity, and 
commitment to local communities is a testament to the wonderful people 
living in the Fifth District.


          75th Anniversary: National Industries for the Blind

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, National Industries for the Blind celebrates 
its 75th anniversary this year, and I congratulate NIB on this 
achievement. The work NIB, its team members, and affiliates do every 
day in service to

[[Page H7305]]

blind and visually impaired Americans is deserving of national 
attention and thanks.
  NIB teams with 91 associated nonprofit agencies to extend 
opportunities for economic and personal independence to men and women 
throughout America who are blind. NIB goes about this goal primarily by 
connecting visually impaired individuals with good jobs--jobs they can 
be proud of.
  In my home State, Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind has worked 
on behalf of visually impaired North Carolinians since 1936. Last year, 
under the leadership of executive director David Horton and executive 
chairman Dan Boucher, Industries for the Blind connected 309 local 
residents with fulfilling job opportunities at manufacturing facilities 
in Winston and Asheville.
  As a visually impaired person myself, I have great appreciation for 
NIB's commitment to help those with severe sight challenges acquire 
what Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind describes as the 
``confidence and independence to contribute to society and fulfill 
personal dreams of having a job.''
  To the folks at NIB and at local industries throughout the country, 
congratulations on 75 years of faithful service, and best wishes for 
many more years to come.


                  Samaritan's Purse and Typhoon Haiyan

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the prayers of the American people remain with 
Filipino people as they struggle to recover in the wake of Typhoon 
Haiyan.
  Haiyan claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and left 
widespread devastation throughout the Philippine Islands. The gravity 
of the crisis is heartbreaking. The United States and many 
international aid organizations have been quick to help our friends in 
the Philippines.
  Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief organization 
headquartered in Boone, North Carolina, is among them. Members of the 
Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team are on the ground 
in the Philippines right now, providing medical support and basic 
survival supplies, such as food and hygiene kits, temporary shelter 
items, and clean drinking water.
  As part of the international response team, Samaritan's Purse is 
living out its mission to provide ``spiritual and physical aid to 
hurting people around the world.'' Its team members on the ground are 
also obeying, vividly, the Biblical directive to practice faith by 
visiting orphans and widows in the midst of their distress.
  Knowing full well the enormity of the struggle and depth of pain 
before them, we commit to keep a prayerful vigil for the Samaritan's 
Purse team in the Philippines, United States aid workers and their 
international partners, and for the millions whose lives have been 
changed by the tragedy of Haiyan.


           A Noble Calling: Hickory's Fallen Heroes Ministry

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, with the recent honoring of our Nation's 
venerable veterans, it is appropriate to mention a group of my 
constituents who have accepted an ongoing mission to help our military 
heroes and their families. Started 3 years ago by ex-marine Mike 
Beasley, the Fallen Heroes Ministry operates out of Sandy Ridge Baptist 
Church in Hickory, North Carolina.
  The ministry has spread its influence across the State and even the 
Nation by honoring families who have experienced the tragic loss of a 
family member in combat. Through this noble undertaking, members of the 
Fallen Heroes Ministry have reached out to many families who have 
experienced the loss of a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan and even to 
a family in Hickory who lost a son long ago in Vietnam. The Fallen 
Heroes Ministry serves as a reminder to congregations nationwide to 
remain engaged in service to America's heroes and their families, since 
the loss of American soldiers brings real heartbreak to communities 
back home.

                              {time}  1900

  The Fallen Heroes Ministry abides by a noble vision: striving to 
bring together families of our fallen with the support of home 
communities to foster an environment to help with their collective 
healing process. Their work is deserving of praise and their calling--
in service to our heroes and our loved ones--shows just a bit of the 
spirit that sets America apart in the world.


   Charles Church, a Most Deserving Recipient of the Tuckwiller Award

  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce recently 
recognized the late Charles Church of Valle Crucis as the recipient of 
the 2013 Tuckwiller Award for Community Development.
  What a way to honor his legacy, for Charles could not be more 
deserving. He was a farmer, a teacher, a visionary, and a friend of 
folks well beyond Watauga. Charles was instrumental in building 
Watauga's local organic farming community and is known for establishing 
a broad food network in the Boone area.
  Charles understood the interdependency of the farm and city. He 
valued cooperation above competition and possessed the spirit of 
innovation that has always characterized great North Carolinians.
  A successful farmer, Charles selflessly mentored both young and 
experienced growers. His pioneering ideas and dedicated spirit 
continued to guide many throughout our community. Without his vision, 
energy, and dedication, organic farming and the entire locally grown 
food network in Watauga wouldn't be what it is today.
  The Tuckwiller Award remembers Charles as a kind, generous, and 
tireless advocate for farmers, and, above all, an honored member of our 
North Carolina community.
  And though the community still very much misses his presence and his 
counsel, the example set by Charles Church--ever the optimist--
continues to inspire.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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