[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO HEARTSAPART.ORG

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 25, 2012

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today to 
pay tribute to HeartsApart.org, a truly outstanding organization 
providing a creative and invaluable service to the men and women of our 
Armed Forces. As their name implies, HeartsApart.org serves the members 
of our military while they are apart from their hearts--their families 
and loved ones--as they serve our Nation across the seas and around the 
world. HeartsApart.org pairs soon-to-be deployed men and women with 
local photographers, who donate their time, resources, and skills to 
give soldiers a precious gift: a portrait of their children and 
spouses. These photographs, printed on waterproof and durable bi-folded 
cards, which fit securely in a uniform pocket, serve as reminders of 
home and encouragement for those who serve us so readily.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that HeartsApart.org began as a 
local organization in my own state of North Carolina. For Wilmington, 
NC photographer Brownie Harris, it was a way to show his support and 
appreciation for America's service members one photo shoot at a time. 
From humble beginnings and a simple mission, HeartsApart.org has grown 
to become a national organization, with volunteer photographers in 
states from Virginia to Nevada and California to Illinois. On April 11, 
HeartsApart.org was one of 20 organizations honored by First Lady 
Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden as finalists for the Joining Forces 
Community Challenge, an initiative aimed at encouraging citizens to 
honor, support, and celebrate our military families. The vision and 
commitment of the staff of HeartsApart.org is to be commended and 
applauded. Today, I offer my heartfelt thanks to those who give of 
their time and talents to serve our brave men and women. May God 
continue to bless their efforts, and may God bless America.

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