[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5103-H5104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         RECOGNIZING 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF TRI-TOWN FIRE COMPANY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 
recognition of the 70th anniversary of the Tri-Town Fire Company in 
Potter County, located in Ulysses, Pennsylvania, within the 
Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District.
  The company was founded in 1946, and currently serves Ulysses 
Borough, Northern Ulysses Township, Southern Bingham Township, Northern 
Hector Township, and Eastern Allegheny Township. Under the Tioga/Potter 
County Mutual Aid Plan, they also respond on the first alarm to certain 
calls in Harrison, Pike, Genesee, and Sweden Townships.
  Although the fire company is located in a very rural area, they 
protect a large and vital part of America's national infrastructure, 
including the Northern Potter County natural gas storage field, 
compressor stations, transfer stations, pipelines, and wells.
  The station is also responsible for protecting nearly 35,000 acres of 
Pennsylvania forestland, which is something of high importance to me as 
chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and 
Forestry.
  Mr. Speaker, as a volunteer firefighter myself, I have the deepest 
respect for the men and women who step forward to help their 
communities, to help their neighbors, putting their lives on the line 
and asking for nothing in return.
  I wish the men and women of the Tri-Town Fire Company the best of 
luck in the future.


                      Honoring Sweden Valley Manor

  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of 
the efforts at Sweden Valley Manor, a nursing home in Coudersport, 
Potter County, serving people in that county, along with McKean, Tioga, 
and Cameron Counties.
  In particular, I want to commend the efforts of local master gardener 
Bonnie Wood, who has worked over the course of the past 5 years to 
create what are now called ``Enabling Gardens'' at the facility.
  As a former licensed nursing home administrator, the opportunity to 
visit Sweden Valley and, specifically, to visit these healing gardens--
what a resource this is for the men and women and the individuals who 
live and work within that facility.
  The gardens are designed so that residents can exercise their green 
thumbs. All the planters that Bonnie built are wheelchair-height, and a 
lazy Susan actually allows for the planters to rotate for maximum 
accessibility no matter what the physical mobility or orthopedic issues 
that an individual may be experiencing.
  She has cultivated relationships with corporate sponsors, volunteers, 
and youth groups from across the region, and has also welcomed students 
involved in FFA and 4-H to work with Sweden Valley Manor's residents. 
Bonnie has educated staff and residents on how to take care of plants 
and where particular plants should be placed in a garden, dedicating 
her own time to get plants and vegetables started on their growth at 
the home.

[[Page H5104]]

  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of Bonnie Wood's dedicated service to her 
community and to the citizens of Potter County and the surrounding 
region and, certainly, to the residents who make their home at Sweden 
Valley.

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