[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 30, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DICK BOYSEN

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 30, 2019

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
retirement of Dick Boysen and his contributions to many children and 
families.
  Dick retired in June, after serving 41 years at the helm of the 
Spokane Guild School, now known as Joya Child and Family Development. 
This organization provides valuable early intervention services to 
children from birth to age three who have developmental delays and 
disabilities.
  Dick's commitment to the families in the Spokane region is not 
limited to the 41 years spent at Joya. Prior to starting in his role, 
he was the education director for the Spokane County Head Start 
Program. In 1977, a friend encouraged him to apply for the Executive 
Director position. From there Dick went on to spend his career making a 
daily difference in the lives of children and their families.
  His dedication to these families speaks for itself. In the last year, 
51 percent of the kids attending Joya met developmental milestones on 
or before their third birthday and graduated from the program. Dick 
said ``early intervention is key because it is before age three when 
children's brains are better able to recover from injuries or learn to 
rewire themselves.''
  My son Cole graduated from the Guild school. It helped him 
tremendously and set him on a strong path. We will always be grateful 
for the start they gave him.
  Dick is an inspiration to many, and we will seek to continue on his 
legacy for many years to come. We are all grateful for his example and 
commitment to meeting the needs of some of the most vulnerable in our 
community.
  I want to thank you to Dick for your years of service to the Spokane 
community, our children, and our families. His leadership will be 
missed by those who had the opportunity to work with him. His 
dedication is inspiring. I wish him all of the best in his retirement.

                          ____________________