[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7574]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MRS. RAMONA HATFIELD

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. C.A. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 2010

  Mr. RUPPERSBERGER. Madam Speaker, I rise before you today to honor 
Ramona Hatfield, a finalist for the 2010 Military Spouse of the Year 
Award by Military Spouse Magazine. She has gone above and beyond the 
call of duty to support her fellow military families and deserves our 
utmost gratitude and respect.
  Ramona, who lives in Curtis Bay, worked resiliently to create a 
spouse club to support the morale and welfare of the Coasties in the 
Greater Baltimore Area, turning an idea and a handful of volunteers 
into a program that has benefitted thousands of families. Her work has 
provided emergent day care for families in crisis, holiday parties for 
families away from home and scholarships for both spouses and dependent 
children. Admired and trusted by military commanders, Ramona's 
colleagues consider her a ``go-to'' spouse for the things that matter 
most.
  Ramona is instrumental in organizing special care for families in 
times of crisis. She is working to create a first-of-its-kind facility 
to provide affordable and reliable childcare for single or dual 
military families. In addition to coordinating the spouse and dependent 
scholarships each year, she operates a pantry that has provided free 
infant and toddler items to 1,500 military families to date.
  Ramona's efforts are all the more remarkable considering her 
responsibilities at home. While caring for her mother, mother-in-law 
and her own household, Ramona volunteers at her church as a youth 
minister, belongs to the spouse organization, works full-time and plays 
an active role in her daughter's high school activities. Her colleagues 
say that Ramona puts her own needs aside to tend to the needs of others 
and lives each day to its fullest. Her friends and colleagues describe 
Ramona as a ``ray of sunshine,'' ``trustworthy'' and ``dependable.'' 
She exemplifies the Greater Baltimore Area's Coast Guard Spouse 
Association motto: unconditional love and support.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that you join with me today to honor Ramona 
Hatfield. Her compassion and dedication to the Coast Guard community 
and her family is an inspiration to us all. It is with great pride that 
I congratulate Ramona Hatfield on her exemplary service to her 
community and our country.

                          ____________________