[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            HONORING COMMUNITY CHAMPION DR. WILLIAM DICUCCIO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE KELLY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 2015

  Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize one 
of my constituents from Western Pennsylvania, Dr. William DiCuccio. Dr. 
DiCuccio is a prestigious medical professional in Butler County, and 
his sincere desire to serve has had an international impact.
   Dr. DiCuccio received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Saint 
Vincent College and then went on to attend Medical School at Jefferson 
Medical College in Philadelphia. Shortly after graduation Dr. DiCuccio 
opened his own family practice, William A. DiCuccio M.D. & Associates, 
where he worked for the following 30 years. Throughout his career, Dr. 
DiCuccio has maintained an honorable reputation while serving in 
various prominent positions within the community. These positions 
include Vice President of Medical Affairs for Butler Health System, 
Medical Director for Butler County Prison, and his current position as 
Medical Director, at Sunnyview Nursing Home. Dr. DiCuccio humbly 
embraced each of these roles, taking full advantage of his ability to 
positively influence the lives of those around him.
   Due to his professionalism and expertise, Dr. DiCuccio's involvement 
has been an asset to various advisory boards, including Butler County 
Community College (Vice Chairman, Board of Directors), World Servants 
(Board Member), Community Health Clinic of Butler (Chairman/Board 
Member), St. Vincent College-Boyer School (Board Member), Gaiser Center 
(Board Member), and Mission Development Villa Hermosa-Dominican 
Republic (Director). In addition, Dr. DiCuccio has voluntarily 
participated in a number of civic organizations and professional 
societies, continuously giving back to the community. He is currently 
an active member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, American 
Geriatrics Society, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and the Butler County 
Medical Society.
   When he's not caring for patients, Dr. DiCuccio enjoys spending time 
with his family, participating within his church, traveling, and 
golfing. These very interests were the driving factors behind Dr. 
DiCuccio's first trip to the Dominican Republic, a trip which would 
forever change his life. While traveling abroad, Dr. DiCuccio and his 
wife, Marge, visited a small barrio called Villa Hermosa, a poverty-
stricken town located about 70 miles from the Dominican Republic's 
capital city, Santo Domingo. Villa Hermosa, which means ``beautiful 
village'' in English, is home to 4,500 of the most genuine people, 
whose positive attitudes remain resilient despite their lack of basic 
necessities.
   Villa Hermosa consisted of miles of shacks, constructed from scrap 
metal. The community was without drinking water, sewage systems, and 
electricity; however, there was an abundance of joy. The children that 
ran through the streets did not have clothing on their backs or shoes 
on their feet, yet there were smiles on their faces. The time spent 
with these wonderful people was inspirational and life-changing for Dr. 
DiCuccio and within an hour of departure from Villa Hermosa, he 
realized God led him there for a very specific purpose.
   Dr. William and Marge DiCuccio started the ``Hope Project'' which 
has collaborated with World Servants, various churches, and individual 
sponsorships, all focused on the same objective of improving the 
quality of life for others. Since Dr. DiCuccio took the initiative, the 
transformations within Villa Hermosa have been immeasurable: The local 
church, which serves as the heart of the community, has been repaired 
and expanded, allowing them to accommodate for large crowds. A brand 
new grade school, where 400 students are educated, fed, immunized, 
clothed, and cared for in general, has been constructed and developed. 
In addition, this school brings countless benefits to the surrounding 
community, one of those being the fact that it employs a number of 
local residents, including seven teachers, a psychologist, a principal, 
a secretary, and cleaning staff. In order to produce clean drinking 
water, a well was drilled and a water purification plant was 
constructed. This plant produces 4,000 gallons of water per hour, sold 
to benefit the people of Villa Hermosa. Most recently, a medical clinic 
was constructed and is currently being run by Medical Missions 
International. This clinic is combating the leading cause of death in 
the Dominican Republic, namely the spread of communicable diseases.
   In serving God, his family, and all of those in need, Dr. DiCuccio 
is an absolute inspiration. His compassion and generosity has 
positively influenced the lives of so many, and will continue to do so 
for years to come. Therefore, on behalf of the Third Congressional 
District of Pennsylvania, along with Villa Hermosa, I would like to 
express sincere gratitude and appreciation to Dr. William DiCuccio, an 
admirable professional, a selfless individual, and a true Community 
Champion.

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