[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE VOLUNTEER SERVICE OF DARRIEN GISH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. WALT MINNICK

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 4, 2009

  Mr. MINNICK. Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a 
young student from my district who has achieved national recognition 
for exemplary volunteer service in his community. Darrien Gish of Nampa 
has just been named one of the top honorees in Idaho by the 2009 
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor 
conferred on the most impressive student volunteers in each State and 
the District of Columbia.
  Mr. Gish is being recognized for his work with the Canine Companions 
for Independence. He is devoting fourteen months of his own time to 
train and care for the puppy Delphia. He also earned his own money to 
fund Delphia's health care. Mr. Gish spends time every day working with 
Delphi on basic skills so that eventually she can assist people with 
disabilities perform everyday tasks like turning on lights and opening 
doors.
  In light of numerous statistics indicating that Americans today are 
less involved in their communities, it's vital that we encourage and 
support the kind of selfless contributions this young citizen has made. 
People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual 
citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and 
vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers life Mr. Gish 
are inspiring examples to all of us and are among our brightest hopes 
for tomorrow.
  Mr. Gish should be extremely proud to have been singled out from the 
thousands of dedicated volunteers who participated in this year's 
program. I heartily applaud him for his initiative in seeking to make 
his community a better place to live, and for the positive impact he 
has had on the lives of others. He has demonstrated a level of 
commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's 
world, and deserves our sincere admiration and respect. His actions 
show that young Americans can--and do--play important roles in our 
communities and that America's community spirit continue to hold 
tremendous promise for the future.

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