[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16340]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    HONORING VIRGINIA ``GINNY'' GANO

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, on a happy note, I rise this evening to 
honor someone who has spent the last 30 years of her life serving the 
people of this country, of this Congress, of the State of Ohio; 
specifically, of the Seventh Congressional District in Ohio.
  I am talking about a dear friend of mine, Virginia ``Ginny'' Gano. I 
had the great pleasure and honor to work with her during my years as 
Congressman from the Seventh Congressional District in Ohio. Ginny is 
now in her 31st year of service to the people. She is truly an 
ambassador for the Seventh district and for the entire State of Ohio.
  Ginny grew up in Springfield, OH. She started working for Congressman 
Bud Brown at a very young age in 1969. In 1982, when I was elected to 
the House of Representatives, I asked Ginny if she would come work with 
me. I became the Congressman. Ginny agreed to stay on and work in our 
office. During that time, Ginny Gano was really invaluable to me and 
invaluable to our office and to the people of the district. She had and 
has an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and institutional memory. If 
you want something done, if you want to know something, you ask Ginny 
Gano.
  In 1991, she joined current Seventh District Congressman David 
Hobson's team. This evening--I am sure at this very moment--knowing 
Ginny, she is still at work in the Longworth Building serving the 
people in the district.
  Ginny is one of the hardest working people whom I have ever met. With 
her resources, her experience, and her knowledge, she can answer any 
question or just about any request made of her. She never says no. She 
is that good. She gets the job done. She just knows how to get it done. 
Whatever you want, Ginny will figure out a way of getting it done.
  One of the many things that Ginny has done over the years has been to 
work with interns in a Congressman's office. She goes to great lengths 
to make sure these young people who come out from Ohio to serve the 
people and to learn have meaningful experiences in Washington, that 
they feel at home, that they have someone to look out for them.
  Ginny has spent the last 30 years helping people in our district and 
has truly gotten to know the people of the Seventh District, and they 
know that she cares about them. She is the one constant in the office 
of the Congressman from the Seventh Congressional District. Whether it 
was Bud Brown, Mike DeWine, or Dave Hobson, Ginny Gano has been there. 
Ginny Gano is making a difference.
  One of the things I appreciate about Ginny so much is that she has a 
way about her that makes everyone feel at ease. Whether it is a group 
of schoolchildren from Greene County or maybe someone whom she bumps 
into in the Rotunda of the Capitol, a total stranger, it does not 
matter; Ginny is there to help them and she makes everyone feel welcome 
in our Nation's Capitol. Ginny is a caring and compassionate human 
being. Being around Ginny Gano just makes you happy. She is that type 
of person. Her smile, her spirit, her energy--you just feel good when 
you are around Ginny Gano.
  Ginny has dedicated some of her free time--the little free time she 
has--to something she loves: music. For years she has participated with 
a great deal of enthusiasm in the Capitol Hill Choral Society. She also 
has been a driving force behind the Ohio State society's selection of 
the cherry blossom princess every spring.
  My wife Fran and I are just so proud to call Ginny Gano a friend. I 
thank her for over 30 years of dedicated service to the people of the 
Seventh Congressional District of the State of Ohio.
  Ginny, thank you.

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