[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9536]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


CONGRATULATING COLLEEN MURRAY ON RECEIVING THE CONGRESSIONAL AWARD GOLD 
                                 MEDAL

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 20, 2017

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Miami 
Springs resident Colleen Murray for her dedication to bettering our 
community and receiving Congress's highest honor, the Congressional 
Award Gold Medal.
  To receive the Congressional Award Gold Medal, one must demonstrate 
immense dedication and be willing to sacrifice a great amount of time. 
All recipients must participate in 400 hours of voluntary community 
service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical 
activities, and an additional four night mission of their choosing. 
This is all done within a two year time frame.
  For Colleen's public service, she chose to highlight her appreciation 
for classical music and opera. Colleen volunteered at local hospitals 
and provided music therapy to patients. By utilizing her passion, 
Colleen not only improved her musical skills but also helped others in 
our community. Colleen incorporated her love of music for her personal 
development requirement as well. She dedicated time to improve her harp 
skills in order to compete in regional and national competitions. Most 
notably, she performed with the New World Symphony. For her physical 
fitness requirement, Colleen built up her stamina and ran one mile at a 
consistent pace despite a persistent knee injury.
  As Colleen was nearing her goal, she had to complete her four days of 
exploration. With an interest in history, she visited a variety of 
sites in Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia, ranging from the 
Revolutionary War to the Civil Rights era. During the evening, Colleen 
stayed with local families to fully immerse herself in the experience. 
With all of the activities Colleen completed, she not only bettered the 
community, but herself.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to congratulate Colleen Murray on her 
accomplishment, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing her 
outstanding achievement. It is an honor to know that Florida's 25th 
District has an individual with such a bright future.

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