[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 118 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING RICHARD MICKA'S SERVICE TO THE WILDLIFE OF SOUTHEASTERN 
                                MICHIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 11, 2023

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Richard Micka, 
Chairman of the Board for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance, 
on the occasion of his retirement. The contributions he has made and 
the stewardship he has shown for the International Wildlife Refuge in 
Trenton, Michigan is worthy of commendation.
  Richard was born, raised, and still to this day resides in Monroe, 
Michigan. A graduate from the University of Detroit, Richard has always 
appreciated all the natural beauty that this region has to offer. The 
only time he has spent away was for the seven years he spent in the 
Medical Corps of our United States Air Force, where he was a Captain. 
When he returned from the service, he spent 36 years working at La-Z-
Boy's Monroe Headquarters.
  While at home, Richard's hobby is caring for the outdoor spaces in 
Monroe County. He has spent time on the Commission on the Environment 
and Water Quality, the River Raisin Public Advisory Council, as well as 
the Monroe County Drain Commission. In 1974, he earned the 
Conservationist of the Year Award from the Michigan United Conservation 
Clubs for his work on restoring the Point Mouillee State Game Area.
  For the last 14 years, Richard has served as the Chairman of the 
Board for the International Wildlife Refuge Alliance. The Alliance is 
essential to coordinating the private and public partnerships that 
allow the DRIWR to be an incredible habitat for our region's wildlife 
as well as a destination for people of all ages to come and appreciate 
our world's natural beauty. Richard has been there since the beginning, 
and his fingerprints are everywhere you look. Under his leadership, 
many new plots of land and educational programs have been added to the 
Refuge. His tenure also saw the opening of the Refuge Gateway and the 
John D. Dingell, Jr. Visitor Center, a project that was well over a 
decade in the making. Today, the DRIWR stands as a beacon for all those 
anglers, dog walkers, mushroom hunters, or people who just want to 
catch a beautiful sunset from the pier.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the 
lifetime of work that Richard Micka has accomplished. Since his 
earliest days, he was shown a passion for our wild places that few 
could match. Both John Dingell and I always valued his partnership, 
energy and wisdom, and though we will miss him as the Chairman of the 
IWRA, I am sure that we will continue to find him out in the wild, 
educating our youth and making sure everyone appreciates the beauty 
that surrounds them. I thank Richard.

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