[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10896]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



               CHAMPION OF THE HANDICAPPED--RON FOXWORTHY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 14, 2001

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I come before you today in this 
great Chamber to honor a fellow American. His name is Ron Foxworthy.
  He lives in Sarasota, which is in my Congressional District in the 
Southwest part of Florida. Ron is being honored in Sarasota by his 
fellow citizens, his friends, his family, and most notably by the 
hundreds and hundreds of handicapped children and adults for whom Ron 
has been the most devoted of advocates.
  Ron is a successful businessman who could easily have the 
delightfully carefree life of a retiree in our area. He is a Shriner. 
He is also a 33 degree Mason. Many years ago, Ron decided to devote his 
extra time and extra finances to the care and well being of handicapped 
children.
  Ron gives the expression ``quality time'' new meaning.
  Since 1964 he has made sure that handicapped children can enjoy the 
beautiful beaches of Sarasota.
  He has organized the now international Suncoast Off-shore boat races, 
for which all proceeds go to the Suncoast Foundation for the 
Handicapped.
  In his role in the business community Ron has been instrumental in 
bringing various groups together for the common goal of assisting the 
handicapped. He counsels young business entrepreneurs on the operation 
and management of their businesses and provides them with the skills to 
assist the handicapped in their communities.
  He somehow managed to find the time to build the first training 
center in the country for Special Olympics Athletes.
  It is not uncommon for Ron to transport burned and handicapped 
children to Shriner Childrens Hospitals in his own airplane and at his 
own expense. He then flies back to pick up the parents so they can be 
with their children at the Hospitals.
  Webster's Dictionary defines Champion as ``The holder of first place 
in a contest; one who defends another person''. Ron Foxworthy is a true 
Champion of the Handicapped.

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