[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5587-5588]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   DARIEN'S 2003 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 6, 2003

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Father Gavin 
Quinn, the 2003 Citizen of the Year for Darien, Illinois.
  The City of Darien lies within Illinois' 13th Congressional District. 
Because of residents like Father Quinn, Darien easily lives up to its 
motto--``a nice place to live.''
  If you happen to find yourself in Darien, there is a good chance that 
you will hear Father Quinn's name mentioned, not only by

[[Page 5588]]

members of his church community, but also among the many other 
residents of Darien. He seeks out anyone who can use a helping hand or 
a friend. He is especially valued for his work with teenagers, single 
parents and the sick and dying. Regularly visiting hospitals, he works 
to lift the human spirit or offer a willing ear.
  Father Gavin is best described by one of his fellow citizens, who 
said: ``He is an extraordinary man who knows how to identify people in 
need and find a way of ministering to them. Father Gavin is a very 
compassionate man who reaches out to people of all faiths and in all 
walks of life. In short, I can think of no one who has made Darien a 
better place to live than Father Gavin Quinn.''
  I could not agree more. Father Quinn is the kind of person who 
transforms a city into a community. Congratulations to Father Gavin 
Quinn, Darien's 2003 Citizen of the Year.

                          ____________________