[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 36 (Thursday, February 25, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H714-H716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING HOMETOWN HEROES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida
(Mrs. Cammack) for 30 minutes.
Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and honor
hometown heroes in my district and across the Nation, these proud
Americans embodying the persistent, giving, and fighting spirit of our
national creed.
The COVID pandemic has put our country and our communities to the
test, pushing us to seek positivity and hope in each day as we have
weathered the storms that have come our way.
Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight the great work and service of my
constituents who have shown bravery and empathy in these trying times.
Last week, I invited the constituents of Florida's Third
Congressional District, the Gator Nation, to submit their nominations
for individuals they would like to honor for their dedication to our
communities over the last year. I received several nominations with the
names of constituents who have gone above and beyond the call of duty,
who put service above self, so many nominations, in fact, that we have
pledged to continue this series throughout the year to highlight their
great work.
Included in this group are first responders, law enforcement
officers, teachers, nurses, and Good Samaritans. They are the backbone
of our communities. I am honored to be able to represent them in
Congress and share their stories with you today.
The first is my friend, and the only woman sheriff in the great State
of Florida, Sheriff Michelle Cook. Sheriff Cook, in her long tenure in
law enforcement, has walked the beat and fought against the scourge of
the opioid epidemic and human trafficking in Clay County.
She is also the proud mother to four foster children, who she
lovingly brought into her own home to prevent their separation. She
works every day to protect our community and our great county of Clay
County. I am so grateful for her service.
Thank you, Sheriff Cook.
Now, much like Sheriff Cook, Sergeant Kim Miller put service above
self as a member of the Green Cove Springs Police Department. While
Sergeant Miller celebrated her retirement earlier this year, she has
spent the last 15 years of her life dedicated to the children of Clay
County and their safety and development.
She is proud to have been the first Black female sergeant for the
Green Cove Springs Police Department and continues to make the citizens
of Clay County proud.
It was always a pleasure seeing Sergeant Miller's smiling face when I
visited the department, and I congratulate her on her retirement this
year. Although she is not on the force any longer, her service to the
Green Cove Springs community is remarkable. I am honored to celebrate
her here today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Carl).
Mr. CARL. Mr. Speaker, what an honor to get to speak before you. This
is a thrill.
I rise today to honor several hometown heroes from my district who
have made an impact on the community over the course of the year.
First, I would like to thank my colleague from Florida, Congresswoman
Kat Cammack, for organizing this Special Order hour.
I also reached out to my community, and I asked for the leaders in
our community to give us some of what they think to be hometown heroes.
Let me just run through a few real quick.
Last year has been tough on millions of Americans across the country
as we battle the COVID pandemic and endure countless hardships, but I
am proud of so many folks in south Alabama who have made our community
a better place. Many of them are unsung heroes. I would like to take a
moment today to honor a few of them.
Brian Copes, manufacturing instructor for the city of Chickasaw
School System, is a leader in the effort of developing inexpensive
prosthetic limbs that will change many lives of amputees throughout
Latin America.
Students from all disciplines have been working together to create a
real nonprofit business. Eventually, these students will travel to
Latin America, not only to fit the amputees but also to aid the
amputees in rehabilitation as they learn to walk and use their new
limbs.
Another one is Natalie Fox, assistant administrator and chief nursing
officer for USA Physicians Group. That ``USA'' stands for University of
South Alabama, which we are very proud of. And USA Healthcare has been
a leading coordinator in the University of South Alabama Healthcare
System community testing and vaccination sites for the Mobile region.
To date, she has overseen the successful implementation of over
26,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered since December 15, and over
50,000 coronavirus tests performed since the pandemic began. Natalie
has worked tirelessly to meet the high demands on the healthcare system
for the past year, and I am incredibly thankful for her hard work and
her dedication to the people of south Alabama.
Jennifer Myrick of Fairhope, Alabama, has been a critical figure in
the recovery efforts after Hurricanes Sally and Zeta, which hit the
area. Jennifer worked through the Fairhope United Methodist Church to
set up an independent point of distribution to hand out critical
supplies to the public.
She has also headed up a feeding program for those supplies and is an
active member of the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster through
Baldwin County Emergency Management, where she helped fulfill many
needs throughout the county.
Jennifer also worked with the Fairhope Police Department to keep
police officers, dispatchers, and correction officers fed through this
long stretch between both of these hurricanes.
Kathy Couey, a recreation supervisor for the city of Chickasaw,
Alabama, goes above and beyond her duties every day in her day-to-day
responsibilities to make sure the city is a better and healthier place
for families to live. Her creativity is limitless, with a true
servant's heart.
With so many people working and learning from home over the past
year, staying active and getting outdoors has been critical to people's
physical and mental health. Kathy's hard work has made Chickasaw a
better place to live and raise a family.
Virtually no person across the country has not been impacted in some
way by the pandemic, natural disasters, and the countless other
challenges that we have faced. We have come a long way. Although we are
living in difficult times, I could not be prouder than I am to be an
American today.
And I couldn't be more thankful for so many incredible people all
over my district and all over the Nation who have worked hard each day,
not for fame, not for recognition or for money, but for the betterment
of their friends and neighbors. This is what makes America strong.
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Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to take a moment today
to recognize just a few of those unsung heroes who have made an impact
in our community over the past year.
Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama. Even
though, the SEC Nation, we may be rivals on game day, when it comes to
honoring our hometown heroes, we are united, and I appreciate you
taking the time to share these stories.
Mr. Speaker, before I yield to another one of my great colleagues, I
want to highlight a great man, Mr. Mike Leader, from Fleming Island,
Florida, who is an active duty physician proudly serving in the United
States Navy.
Mike was deployed in April 2020 to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and
he has been working tirelessly to save lives over the last year. His
wife, Adriane, and his three children have remained strong and positive
during his time away from home, recognizing his sacrifice for our
fellow Americans.
Mike is set to be deployed again next month to once again take up the
fight against this pandemic, and he and his family will be in my
thoughts and prayers as he continues the fight to end COVID-19.
I would also like to honor Orange Park native Peggie French. Ms.
French is what her nominators call an angel to seniors. Ms. French
spends hours every single week scheduling vaccines for seniors in Clay
County. She has become somewhat of an expert in the process and even
helps to monitor the vaccine sites for cancelations to help seniors
trying to get appointments.
To date, she has helped over 60 senior citizens to get appointments
for the COVID-19 vaccine in her spare time. I visited the COVID
vaccination sites in my district a few weeks ago, where these very
seniors that she helped were being vaccinated. I want to thank Peggie
and those just like her for helping folks in our area.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank
Representative Cammack for bringing this idea of honoring our hometown
heroes to the floor. It is long overdue.
There are so many who have made an impact in our communities over the
last year. When I think of the countless hours our healthcare workers
have dedicated, their time spent away from family to take care of
others, the doctors, nurses, and first responders, we can never fully
thank them for their dedication to our country during this difficult
time.
But as my team and I discussed who from Oklahoma's Fifth District has
helped this community survive the pandemic, who worked on the ground
with people in need, one name was mentioned over and over, and that was
Pastor Derrick Scobey of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.
He and his band of volunteers have worked countless hours to make
sure Oklahomans everywhere were fed, not just in the surrounding
community but in towns and cities across the great State of Oklahoma.
In partnership with the World Vision Organization, Pastor Scobey
distributed more than 91,000 boxes of fresh food in the past year. That
is 2.3 million pounds of food hand-delivered by Ebenezer Baptist Church
and his countless volunteers throughout the State.
{time} 2030
My team and I had the pleasure of assisting Pastor Scobey with a few
of his distribution events in Oklahoma City. I was overwhelmed with the
gratitude on the faces of those who were receiving these food boxes.
This man right here is truly making a difference to those in need. He
has been on the ground day in and day out making sure that more than
150,000 Oklahomans did not go hungry during this pandemic.
In addition to food, he made sure that those needing furnishings did
not go without. His group distributed 2,300 pallets of furniture to the
underserved as well. It is a monumental task that Pastor Scobey took
on, but he saw the need in his community. He heard from pastors and
communities from across the State with similar needs, rolled up his
sleeves, and he got to work.
This Nation needs more pastors like Derrick Scobey, who aren't afraid
of the hard work of feeding our communities not just with the word of
God on Sunday morning, but with hours of heavy lifting, sweating in the
heat of the summer, or trying to stay warm in the subzero temperatures,
all to make sure those who were hungry have something to eat.
So, Mr. Speaker, I thank Pastor Scobey for being a hero to Oklahomans
from every corner of the great State of Oklahoma.
Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the great
State of Oklahoma. It has been an honor so far serving with her in this
Congress, and I expect that we will be hearing many more stories of
great Oklahomans who are doing incredible work in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to honor a gentleman who is
much like my husband, a hero and a firefighter. Justin Dean serves the
Orange Park Fire Department and its city both in his capacity as a
firefighter and as a heroic private citizen. Mr. Dean was driving home
one afternoon recently when he noticed a car parked on the side of the
bridge near Doctor's Lake. He pulled his vehicle over, proceeded to
talk to the woman standing at the top of the bridge, and he offered her
a hug. When she accepted, Firefighter Dean jumped into action and
pulled her tightly over the rail to safety. He was awarded a
meritorious award for his brave, lifesaving action.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Justin.
Mr. Speaker, Rhonda Wilson is a hero from my hometown of Gainesville,
Florida. She wears many hats in our community. She is a middle school
teacher, a thespian, a theater director, and a philanthropist. She
founded the Star Center Theatre nearly two decades ago and, in the
years since, has provided an opportunity for local children and
families to perform and enjoy fine arts.
A portion of all the theatre's proceeds go to Created Gainesville, a
nonprofit committed to reaching and restoring women caught in sex
trafficking and sexual exploitation in Gainesville. Rhonda's work is
especially impactful to me, as I have worked to eliminate human
trafficking from our District and our State.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds).
Mr. DONALDS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from
Florida, my good friend, Congresswoman Cammack, for bringing this great
idea to the House Chamber to honor those of us in our communities who
have done, frankly, more than Members of Congress actually have. The
sacrifices that they have made not only in our communities but
throughout their lives is really something to honor, it is something to
behold, and it is something to cherish. I am just grateful for this
opportunity to do this on the peoples' floor this evening.
The first hometown hero I wish to honor is Captain Wayne Ogden Smith.
Today, we pay tribute to one of Naples' hometown heroes. Mr. Smith was
a United States Air Force fighter pilot and a Vietnam prisoner of war.
Captain Smith was a prisoner of war at the Hanoi Hilton for 5 years,
alongside Senator Sam Johnson and Senator John McCain. However, he
would never call himself a hometown hero.
Wayne was a 1965 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and
would fly 90 F-4 fighter combat missions over North Vietnam and Laos.
Captain Smith was shot down on January 18, 1968, at the age of 24. He
survived 5 years and 2 months and was repatriated on March 15, 1973.
Wayne's combat honors include two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit,
two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze ``V'' Stars, seven Air
Medals, and the Purple Heart.
Now retired from the business world, Wayne Smith spends his time with
his wife helping veterans and active military around the country
through organizations like Wreaths Across America and Naples Spirit of
`45, a celebration honoring our World War II veterans and beyond.
Mr. Speaker, another hometown hero from my District is Allison
Dawson. Allison has proudly dedicated her life to educating our youth.
Allison's career in youth education spans over 30 years, almost 20 of
those in Lee County, Florida.
A single mom who raised three kids, she struggled to pay bills and
struggled to put food on the table. Despite these obstacles, Allison
remained committed
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to her passion and her life's work: teaching and helping low-income
students learn and grow to succeed.
During COVID-19, like thousands of teachers across our Nation, she
juggled virtual school and in-person instruction flawlessly, all to
ensure her students received the very best education. She is a prime
example of how hard all teachers across America work every single day.
I am honored to recognize Allison Dawson today as a teacher and as a
public servant. I thank Allison for her 30 years of service; her
commitment to serving others; and ensuring that every child, no matter
their race, gender and socioeconomic background, has access to a world-
class education.
Mr. Speaker, my last hometown hero is Major Jose Martinez, BSN, RN.
Jose Martinez, BSN and RN, is the nursing director of adult and
pediatric emergency department at North Naples Hospital in southwest
Florida. He has been a nurse for 22 years, and 13 of them at NCH.
Major Jose Martinez has a 19-year military career. He has served 9
years with the Army National Guard and 10 years with the Air Force
Reserve.
Major Martinez is currently a flight nurse instructor and clinical
management flight commander in the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Major Martinez just returned from
a 6-month deployment at duty station Travis Air Force Base in
California. Major Martinez coordinated more than 50 Aeromedical
Evacuation Westpac/Cross Country Aeromedical missions with more than
400 aeromedical evacuation crew, critical care crew, and neonatal
critical care members serving more than 100 patients who represent our
U.S. military and their families.
He has dedicated his life to serving others and has saved countless
lives. I am honored to recognize Major Martinez today and his
sacrifices for our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, there are many heroes in all of our communities. These
are just three who happen to live in my congressional district, and it
is my honor to honor them this evening.
Mrs. CAMMACK. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow Floridian, I look forward to
getting to know the gentleman's hometown heroes at some point in the
near future. I thank the gentleman for joining me here on the floor of
the people's House to honor the hometown heroes who make up the great
State of Florida.
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to recognize my friend
and the great sheriff of Marion County, Sheriff Billy Woods. I have
known Billy for nearly a decade, and in that time, I have seen his
passion for helping people. I am proud to have worked with Sheriff
Woods on combating human trafficking in the State of Florida, as well
as taking on criminal drug traffickers and supporting the rights of
lawful gun owners. I am also proud to recognize his tireless efforts
tonight to protect and serve our ever-growing community in Marion
County. I know Billy to be a man of integrity, grit, and honesty. He is
a tremendous defender of freedom and security, and I am proud to call
him and his wife, Samantha, dear friends.
I am deeply grateful for all of the people who have spoken here
today. Their work and their efforts to make my district and its many
communities a better place to live and raise a family do not go
unnoticed. They make me proud to be an American and the Representative
from Florida's Third Congressional District. I chose to celebrate these
hometown heroes today to honor their work and celebrate their passion
for helping others. I challenge my constituents and all Americans to
take stock of the everyday heroes all around us and thank them for what
they do.
Whether it is working as a frontline healthcare worker in a local
clinic, a law enforcement officer supporting children, librarians
assisting students with virtual learning, or a delivery worker ensuring
that we all get our critical packages on time, they are all--and there
are so many more out there--extraordinary Americans who continue to put
duty above all else.
I thank the nominees and the nominators of today's heroes. Again, I
look forward to continuing this yearlong series of honoring our
hometown heroes, and I look forward to hearing more of my colleagues'
stories from their hometown heroes.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity here tonight to honor
these heroes, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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