[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 173 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING CHASE KELSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2017

  Mr. PANETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chase Kelsen for 
his attainment of the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 614 of the Boy 
Scouts of America on the central coast of California.
   At the age of just 16, Chase represents a personification of our 
nation and its values. He has demonstrated this through his service as 
First Sergeant with the Civil Air Patrol's Squadron 36 and his 
graduation from Non-Commissioned Officers School. These are difficult 
tasks and are a testament to Chase's fortitude and leadership 
capabilities. His sense of duty also goes beyond our nation's borders. 
He has spent considerable time teaching sustainable farming techniques 
and building orphanages abroad in places such as Mexico and Nicaragua.
   Chase's tireless work and dedication to go far beyond what is 
expected of an Eagle Scout Service Project, the task required to be 
awarded the rank of Eagle Scout. His Eagle Project included building a 
crosstie and wash station for horses used in hippotherapy at the 
Pediatric Therapy Center in Aptos, California. During hippotherapy, the 
rider uses the movements of a horse as a type of physical therapy. With 
these new additions, the center will be better able to help children 
with disorders such as cerebral palsy develop greater posture, 
coordination, and a stronger sense of control over their bodies. The 
crosstie and washroom took over eight hundred and sixty-five hours to 
construct and cost over $20,000. Chase was able to acquire the cost of 
the project solely through donations, an impressive feat at any age. 
Facilities like these are deeply needed in the central coast of 
California and each improvement or addition to existing facilities 
serves to make our community that much stronger. Through his efforts, 
Chase has produced a positive, tangible impact on the place he calls 
home.
   It is young women and men like Chase that will become leaders in our 
communities. His commitment to serving others and his sense of duty to 
our country and the world is something that deserves the highest 
recognition and praise. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the 
House join me in congratulating Chase Kelsen.

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