[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 2917-2918]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING DIANNE VILLANO, FOUNDER OF SUPPORT OUR MARINES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 2010

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Dianne 
Villano, the founder of Support Our Marines, Inc., in St. Pete Beach, 
Florida, who has dedicated herself to sending packages and 
correspondence to Marines who are stationed overseas. For the past four 
years, Ms. Villano, the owner of a local fitness company, has gone out 
of her way to actively support the troops, donating over 30 hours a 
week of her time to directing her non-profit organization.

[[Page 2918]]

  After losing her fiance during the September 11th terrorist attacks, 
Ms. Villano began supporting the troops in 2005 by sending mail and 
packages to those serving overseas. In 2007, she officially founded 
Support Our Marines in order to send packages to Marines on active duty 
in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her initial contact with the Marines began 
when she discovered a Web site where Marines posted facts about their 
living conditions, experiences, and general needs while they were on 
duty overseas. She chose to focus her efforts on Marines stationed on 
the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, because often, servicemembers 
in remote locations rarely receive packages. Since founding her 
organization, Ms. Villano has sent over 4,500 boxes of food and other 
items requested by the troops, between 40 and 60 packages a month, to 
over 115 contacts within the Marines who then distribute the items 
within their companies.
  Additionally, Ms. Villano works diligently to secure funding for her 
organization to pay the costs to ship packages overseas. Support Our 
Marines is a registered nonprofit in Florida and Ms. Villano recently 
filed for 501(c)(3) status in order to be able to more actively solicit 
donations. Currently, she funds much of the mailing and acquisition 
costs with her own paychecks.
  Ms. Villano also works to raise awareness about deployed Marines by 
competing in triathlons and running events while wearing military gear 
weighing about 20 percent of her body weight. She has competed in over 
20 events, each of them with photographs of fallen Marines attached to 
her military gear and each in honor of a specific Marine from units she 
has adopted.
  Recently, Ms. Villano was honored by being named as the first runner-
up for the local Jefferson Award for Public Service which recognized 
her outstanding community service and dedication to the troops. She 
chose to present her award to a wounded Marine who had inspired her 
during her work for the Marines and presented it to him at the James A. 
Haley Memorial Hospital where he was recovering from a head injury. 
Additionally, she has been named as an associate member of the local 
Marine Corps League and has received the Distinguished Citizen Award 
from the Department of State.
  Madam Speaker, Ms. Villano is an extraordinary, selfless woman who 
deserves to be recognized for her outstanding service to the troops and 
for her continuing efforts to support them. I would like to thank her 
for her hard work and dedication as she continues to devote her time 
and attention to our heroes on the front lines of the war on terror.

                          ____________________