[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 179 (Tuesday, November 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING HEIDI BENZONELLI-BURDEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 13, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Heidi 
Benzonelli-Burden, who was honored as Humboldt County Citizen of the 
Year on October 20, 2018, an award she richly deserves.
  Heidi Benzonelli-Burden's contributions to the Eureka community are 
exemplary. As program director for the Westside Community Building 
Initiative and president of the Westside Community Improvement 
Association, Ms. Benzonelli-Burden has been a driving force for the 
improved health and livability of Eureka's Westside. Ms. Benzonelli-
Burden worked with these groups and law enforcement, code enforcement, 
and neighbors to address 30 chronic nuisance properties and 10 
alleyways in West Eureka, and alleviate graffiti, trash, drug houses, 
and other hazards to clean up blight.
  Among the Westside Association's greatest achievements has been the 
rehabilitation of the Jefferson Community Center and Park, which 
transformed a boarded-up elementary school into a thriving social 
center. The center hosts square dances, movie nights, a safety fair and 
more. Ms. Benzonelli-Burden was even the cook at the community center 
for its first two years, helping feed and nurture neighborhood 
children. In 2017, she was awarded the Kiwanis of Henderson Center Non-
Profit Businesswoman of the Year award.
  Ms. Benzonelli-Burden attended Humboldt State University, earning a 
bachelor's degree in Environmental Resources Engineering and a master's 
degree in Business Administration with a focus on Strategic 
Sustainability. She is now a research analyst at Humboldt State's 
California Center for Rural Policy and putting her education to good 
use for the benefit of others.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing deep appreciation for Heidi 
Benzonelli-Burden's commitment to bettering her community and 
congratulating her on her service to the North Coast.

                          ____________________