[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 113 (Friday, July 6, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E970-E971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING JULIE AND BUCK WATERS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE 
        DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS IN GREATER PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 6, 2018

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Julie and Buck Waters, 
the Eighth Annual Hylton Performing Arts Center Awards Gala honorees, 
for their endless contributions to expanding the reach of the arts in 
the Greater Prince William County area.
  In recognition of the arts being the heart of a civilized society, 
net proceeds from the annual gala benefit the Hylton Center's many 
artistic performances, arts education programs, veterans art and 
outreach initiatives, and the Hylton Center's Endowment. These programs 
help to ensure the continuation of artistic excellence in performances 
as well as the accessibility to quality artistic programs.
  Over the short, storied history of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, 
a series of milestones have been reached due to the support and 
enthusiasm of Julie and Buck Waters. Through their personal 
philanthropy and volunteerism, Julie and Buck Waters have demonstrated 
steadfast leadership and commitment to Prince William County, George 
Mason University, and the Hylton Center. Their dedication has helped 
the Hylton Center sustain the entertainment, education, and enrichment 
of Northern Virginia by providing diverse and accessible arts 
experiences in state-of-the-art venues. '
  As a member of the first fundraising committee to build the Hylton 
Center, Buck Waters serves as a member of the George Mason University 
Prince William Campus Advisory Board. In addition, he is a former 
chairman of the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Prince 
William & Manassas Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Potomac 
Business Committee for the Arts.
  Julie Waters is a past recipient of the Kathleen K. Seefeldt Award 
for the Arts Excellence-Outstanding Volunteer award for her work 
helping to implement a program to bring children from the area's public 
school systems to the Hylton Center for performances as a way to expose 
them to the arts. Julie currently serves on the Hylton Center's 
Campaign Committee, as the chairman of the Water's Foundation, and as 
secretary of the Manassas Ballet Theatre.
  As avid art enthusiasts, Mr. and Mrs. Waters supported the launch of 
the new Hylton Center EXTRA! Series. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, 
``Art is never finished, only abandoned.'' We can take great comfort in 
knowing that with the support of Julie and Buck Waters as well as other 
great benefactors of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, art will never 
be abandoned in Prince William County. In an effort to continue the 
advancement of the Hylton Center, Julie and Buck Waters generously 
named the Practice Room Suite Anteroom within the new Education and 
Rehearsal Wing.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the Eighth 
Annual Hylton Performing Arts Awards Gala honorees, Mr. and Mrs. 
Waters, for their tireless stewardship of the arts in Greater Prince 
William County.

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