[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 15, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1487]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING MAGGIE JONES, THE 2016 RECIPIENT OF THE WILLIAM CRAWFORD 
                      DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

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                           HON. JOE COURTNEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 15, 2016

  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Maggie Jones 
for her selection as this year's recipient of the William Crawford 
Distinguished Service Award. Maggie is a committed public servant in 
eastern Connecticut, where she serves as the Executive Director of the 
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DNPC). She has overseen tremendous 
growth for her organization, and has dedicated her efforts to the 
preservation of wildlife and our region's natural beauty. The DNPC 
offers a variety of programs to bring the residents of eastern 
Connecticut closer to nature, from gardening clinics to group hikes and 
restoration projects. The Center also contributes to the social and 
economic well-being of the region with its Community Garden that every 
year produces a huge array of fresh, nutritious produce that finds its 
way to low income residents in New London County free of charge. I have 
personally witnessed the impact this healthy, tasty offering has on its 
recipients at mobile food banks. The excitement and gratitude for 
Coogan Farm's effort is moving and inspirational.
  Maggie has been a shrewd, successful manager, growing the DNPC from 
three employees to thirty-five. She and her organization recently 
celebrated a momentous achievement, the completion of a two year 
project to restore the Coogan Farm Nature & Heritage Center in Mystic. 
The restoration required the work of 60 volunteers and 760 donors, all 
facilitated by Maggie's exceptional leadership. It also required her 
successful pursuit of state and federal funds which were intensely 
competitive from groups all over the country.
  Maggie's dedication to her community and her spirit of volunteerism 
and engagement are values well worth honoring. She leads by example, 
and more importantly, puts in the groundwork to make her visions a 
reality. Our region is a better place because of Maggie's dedication. I 
ask my colleagues to join me in thanking her for being a model citizen.

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