[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9373-9374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNIZING ROBERT ``BOB'' BURGER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2005

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize longtime community 
resident Robert ``Bob'' Burger for his leadership, determination and 
dedication as a community leader in Toledo, Ohio.

[[Page 9374]]

  Bob Burger, ``Mr. Neighborhood,'' who recently turned 80 years old, 
has given unselfishly of his time and ability to help rebuild and 
revitalize our city, particularly the East Toledo neighborhoods. 
Beginning in his home community of East Toledo and then extending his 
reach for community betterment city wide, he started this quest back in 
1972 when he founded River East Associates and served as its first 
president. Mr. Burger also played a major part in the creation of River 
East Revitalization Corporation in 1974; that organization helped 
create a comprehensive plan for redevelopment of East Toledo's main 
business district along Main Street, Front Street and Starr Avenue.
  Mr. Burger is particularly well known in our community as a director 
of the Neighborhood Improvement Foundation of Toledo, Incorporated 
(NIFTI) from 1978 through 1994. He is also well known in our community 
as a veterans leader. He is currently commander of the Arthur Daly 
American Legion Post 334 and he previously served as commander of the 
Veterans of Foreign War Post 2510 in 1974 and 1975.
  No one of us can ask more than to be given the years to do good for 
others. Bob Burger's patriotic dedications have yielded exactly that--
and inspired an entire city to take hold of itself and transform it 
parcel by parcel, block by block into the Toledo for tomorrow. The 
power of his gentle personality, his kindness, skill, and vision have 
helped enlarge and build forward a real ethic of community in Toledo. 
How fortunate we are.
  Such are his contributions to our community that Toledo City Council 
has begun the process of renaming a portion of Starr Avenue as ``Bob 
Burger Avenue,'' which is only appropriate because it is located in the 
heart of the River East Main business district that Mr. Burger has done 
so much to promote and advance. For his part in revitalizing one of our 
great communities, I wish to recognize the contributions of Robert 
Burger and congratulate him on having a street renamed in his honor. It 
is particularly appropriate to name a major arterial in his home 
community in his honor for surely he has been a lifeline to the 
citizens of the community.

                          ____________________