[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 95 (Thursday, June 6, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E722-E723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE LIFE OF CONRAD GONZALES FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 6, 2019

  Mr. CARBAJAL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the life of 
Conrad Gonzales. Mr. Gonzales was described as ``an ordained minister 
with street experience who was very passionate about his work and who 
had a rare gift to inspire, motivate, and guide teens.''

[[Page E723]]

  

  Mr. Gonzales was born and raised in the small town of Santa Paula, 
CA. For a few years, he and his wife lived in Santa Barbara before 
permanently moving to Lompoc in 1984, where he dedicated thirty-three 
years of his life to helping youth and preaching the word of God.
  While in Lompoc, Mr. Gonzales had a reputation for his ability to 
mentor troubled and at-risk youth, earning the nickname of Lompoc's 
``Kid Whisperer.'' Most of his work in Lompoc was carried out at the 
church he founded, Cornerstone Church, and at the Boys & Girls Club. 
During the thirteen years that Mr. Gonzales directed and oversaw 
Lompoc's Boys & Girls Club teen program, he expanded it from a small 
group of 25 kids to around 400 strong.
  As a result of his work, Mr. Gonzales had received numerous accolades 
during his life. One of those being the renaming of the teen center at 
the Boys & Girls Club to the ``The Conrad Gonzales Teen Center.'' Other 
honors included being the first recipient of the Valley of Flowers 
Peace Prize Award as well as being the recipient of a Distinguished 
Service Award from the Kiwanis Club of Lompoc.
  Mr. Gonzales passed away on December 27, 2018, after a bout with Lou 
Gehrig's disease, but his soul lives on in his loving family, his 
friends, and every troubled and at-risk teen he aided and inspired 
along the way.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to join with the nation and the Gonzales 
Family in celebrating the special life of Conrad Gonzales.

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