Kathleen A. Dahlkemper

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Worldwide Marriage Encounter.

For over 40 years, Worldwide Marriage Encounter has strengthened countless marriages through a weekend workshop to improve a couple's communication. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is totally self-supporting, and no couple is turned away because they do not have the ability to pay. In 2009, over 10,000 couples attended the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends in the United States alone.

Marriage is a vital institution in the life of our society. Couples in good marriages live longer and happier lives. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is undertaking a project to recognize the longest married couple from every State, with special recognition to the longest married couple in the United States. As nearly 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, it is truly an inspiration to see how many couples have remained together for so long.

Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Worldwide Marriage Encounter and all the volunteers and clergy for their efforts to strengthen marriages throughout our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great leader in Erie, Pennsylvania, Antoine Garibaldi, the sixth president of Gannon University.

Dr. Garibaldi has been a dynamic force in higher education and throughout the community. Since 2001, he has worked to ensure that Gannon remains a world-class university. Dr. Garibaldi's visionary leadership has helped Gannon's enrollment grow by more than 24 percent.

With his wife, Carol, Antoine has led revitalization efforts to make downtown Erie a vibrant, thriving area. The Garibaldis' work benefits not only the students of Gannon but the whole of the Erie community. I am grateful for their commitment to our city.

Antoine Garibaldi is a pillar in the Erie community, and it is with grateful hearts that we wish him the greatest of fortune as he takes on the role of president of the University of Detroit Mercy next year.

Dr. Garibaldi's service in the area will be greatly missed, and we thank him for all that he has done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of an entrepreneur, generous philanthropist, and loving husband, father, and grandfather from Sharon, Pennsylvania.

Jim Winner, the developer of The Club anti-theft device, was lost in an accident in September. He was a patriot, serving his country in Korea. He was an inventor who grew his ideas into successful businesses that created good jobs for his neighbors in the Shenango Valley. He was a philanthropist who gave much of his wealth back to his community. And he raised a beautiful family who share his values of hard work, patriotism, commitment to community, and compassion for those less fortunate.

Jim was a Renaissance man, and his dedication to charity reached so many in the Mercer community region.

Jim will be missed by all, and my heart goes out to Donna, his wife; to his family, his friends, and the community that continues to mourn his loss.