[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18744]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO SAM STAPLETON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT McINNIS

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2003

  Mr. McINNIS. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand before this body of 
Congress and this nation today to pay tribute to a dedicated community 
servant from my district, Sam Stapleton of Aspen, Colorado. Sam has 
overseen the Aspen Fire District Board for 50 years, many of them as 
its President. His hard work and determination have created a top-notch 
volunteer department that protects 87 square miles of land in and 
around Aspen. Fifty years of service is truly a remarkable feat, and I 
join with my colleagues in offering our congratulations and 
appreciation to Sam today.
  Before joining the fire board, Sam and his wife Elizabeth raised 
sheep and cattle on the family ranch. As a landowner, Sam knew 
firsthand the vulnerability that he and his neighbors had to wildfire. 
When he was approached to become a member of the board in 1953, Sam 
jumped at the opportunity. There, he helped turn the Aspen Volunteer 
Fire Department into an effective, efficient force. Sam was 
instrumental in the purchase of a new, fully functional fire engine, 
and three new stations. Today the department owns and operates over $4 
million in equipment, assets that provide Aspen with needed protection.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Sam Stapleton's accomplishments 
before this Congress and this nation. His hard work has helped make the 
community safer, and helped to protect some of the most beautiful land 
in the United States. Thank you, Sam, for the service you have provided 
our community. I wish you all the best in the years to come.

                          ____________________