[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 12, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E243-E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE CIVIC WORK, PHILANTHROPY, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OF 
HAROLD ``SANDY'' AND CONNIE WOLFINGER AS HONOREES AT THE THIRTY-EIGHTH 
                     ANNUAL SALUTE TO OLEAN BANQUET

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. NICHOLAS A. LANGWORTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 2024

  Mr. LANGWORTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the civic 
leadership, philanthropy, and community service of Harold ``Sandy'' and 
Connie Wolfinger. In the last few years, I have come to know them 
personally as friends, and I have seen firsthand the deep connection 
they have to the community. I am glad to see that their dedication and 
passion was recognized on March 7th as honorees at the thirty-eighth 
Annual Salute to Olean banquet. Each of their stories of self-built 
business and success is a testament to the importance and hope in the 
American Dream. In return, Sandy and Connie have generously given back 
to their community through local civic leadership and philanthropy, 
which has benefited generations of students across the region.
  Harold, or Sandy as he is called by friends, was the first in his 
family to graduate from college before going into forestry where he 
worked his way up from humble beginnings in several companies before 
starting his own--Northern Forests LLC, which continues to be a success 
thirty years later. Connie is a native to the area, growing up between 
the communities of Olean, Cuba, and Portville in the heart of the 
Southern Tier of New York. She spent over thirty years herself as a 
real-estate broker, specializing in land lease and sales and formed her 
own company, Field & Stream Real Estate--through which she met her 
soon-to-be husband Harold as a repeat buyer.
  The Wolfinger Family Donor Advised Fund and the Connie and Sandy 
Wolfinger Fund make possible annual grants to organizations chosen by 
the Wolfingers across education, home care, and medical assistance to 
special projects in their community. Since 2019 they are responsible 
for nearly one hundred thousand dollars in charitable grants and 
contributions affecting the daily lives of those in our community.
  Their deep network and civic mindedness also gave birth to the Right 
Thinkers--a monthly town hall for public discussion on current events 
and policy issues where two hundred or more come to listen, learn, and 
speak their minds to panels of experts and elected officials.
  The generosity and pride that Connie and Sandy have for the Southern 
Tier is tangible,

[[Page E244]]

and many are better off because of their efforts. Given the above, I 
ask that this legislative body pause in its deliberations and join me 
in recognizing Harold ``Sandy'' and Connie Wolfinger for their decades 
of service and generosity to their community and upon being named as 
2024 Salute to Olean Honorees.

                          ____________________