Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Ascension Church in Mocanaqua, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, as parishioners prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their church's founding on June 11.

In May of 1906, a group of Slovak men formulated plans to raise funds and build a church to accommodate the needs of their families and neighbors.

Land was purchased and the cornerstone was laid in October, 1906. The church was formally dedicated in October, 1907, by the Most Rev. Michael J. Hoban, then bishop of the Scranton Catholic Diocese. He was assisted by Right Rev. John S. Sobota, Rev. Matthew Jankola and Rev. Joseph Murgas. The church cemetery was purchased and blessed in 1915.

Monsignor Sobota, then pastor at St. Joseph's Church, Nanticoke, served the Church of the Ascension from 1907 to 1926 when Rev. Daniel Gregga was named the first resident pastor. Parishioners bought a lot and built a rectory which was replaced by a new rectory in 1930.

Other pastors who served the Church of the Ascension include Rev. Andrew Sporinsky, Rev. Andrew Liktor, Rev. Joseph Gavenda, Rev. Aloysius Baloga, Rev. Michael Krupar, Rev. Joseph Podskoc, Rev. Cyril Frankovich, Rev. Stephen Yaneka, Rev. John Zipay, Rev. John Fabian, Rev. Edward Liptock, Rev. Stephen Medwick, Rev. Louis Garbacik, Rev. Francis Skitzki, Msgr. John Balberchak, Rev. Carl Prushinski, Rev. Gerald McGlone, Rev. Thomas Skotek, Rev. Michael Zipay, Rev. Anthony Generose and Rev. Joseph Kakareka.

Over the years, the parish properties have seen many improvements and expansions. In 1999, the church underwent major renovation. Central air conditioning was installed, the

sanctuary was disassembled and rebuilt, new carpeting was laid, the church was rewired, pews were renovated, the church interior was repainted and handicapped access was made available.

In the latest restructuring in 2005, the Church of the Ascension now shares its pastor, Rev. Kakareka, with two other nearby parishes.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the parishioners of the Church of the Ascension, both past and present, for their fortitude and devotion that has resulted in the continuous existence of a proud parish for the past century. It is the faith, integrity and dedication of people like those who belong to the Church of the Ascension that has contributed to making this Nation great. And we are thankful to them for that wonderful gift.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to the Commission on Economic Opportunity, located in the City of Wilkes- Barre, Pennsylvania, for 40 years of exemplary community service.

Created on November 3, 1966, pursuant to the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, CEO was designated by the Luzerne County Board of Commissioners which included Edmund C. Wideman Jr., James Post and William Goss.

The mission of the agency has always been to empower the less fortunate in our community by providing the resources needed to improve the quality of their lives. Over the years, CEO has developed an array of services to assist people. The weatherization program has had great success helping people with older housing stock insulate their homes in order to save money on heating fuel. The Chore program has given older citizens and low-income individuals the opportunity to repair essential elements of their homes at affordable prices.

CEO came to the aid of senior citizens in the wake of the devastating Flood of 1972 by developing Washington Square Towers, an apartment complex for the elderly. For nearly 20 years, CEO operated a successful senior citizens market that enabled the elderly to save significant sums on basic food items. Today, CEO's Weinberg Food Bank provides staple food items to those who meet income guidelines.

Indeed, over the years, CEO has fostered several community services that eventually became independent entities. These include Legal Services, Rural Health Corporation, Maternal and Family Health Services, Child Development Council, Luzerne County Human Resources Development Department and Head Start.

The original incorporators of CEO included Gottfried Csala, Mrs. Horace Kramer, George Troy, Carlo Poerio and Raymond Batow.

Today, CEO's board of directors officers include Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan, president; Attorney David Aikens, vice president; John Namey, vice president; Gary F. Lamont, treasurer; and Marie McCormick, secretary.

The board also includes Peter D. Aula, Jollene Bradford, Attorney Joseph Cannody; William Cherkes, Attorney David Glassberg, Judge Hugh F. Mundy, George Nicholson, Michael Pasonick Jr., Rev. Wallace Smith and Estelle Stryjewski. CEO's professional staff operates under the continued leadership of Gene Brady, who was appointed executive director of CEO in 1978.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating CEO on 40 years of remarkable achievements that have touched the lives of tens of thousands of residents in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to the Hickory Street Presbyterian Church in Scranton Pennsylvania, which was founded Jan. 28, 1856, and is now celebrating its 150th anniversary.

At the time of its founding, the church was known as the German Presbyterian Church. It was renamed the Hickory Street Presbyterian Church in 1931.

The church has been served by 11 pastors, four of whom have served tenures in excess of 20 years. In 1993, Hickory Street Presbyterian Church and Petersburg Presbyterian Church merged.

Hickory Street Presbyterian Church has been a community leader in many ways over the years. It has been a passionate supporter of many charitable agencies including Bread Basket of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Safety Net, Exodus Prison Ministries, St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen and the Bethel AME Homeless Shelter.

Hickory Street Presbyterian Church is the largest Presbyterian Church in Scranton and one of the largest Presbyterian Churches in the region.

Many of the church's members are active in the community and have served as judges, physicians, councilmen, teachers, neighborhood leaders, bankers, lawyers, firemen and police officers. Eight Hickory Street church members have been called into the professional ministry.

Hickory Street Presbyterian Church has a rich history of youth ministry that has carried out mission trips to Maine, Virginia, Tennessee, Washington, DC and Montana.

The church structure is a landmark in Scranton that has received awards from the Architectural Heritage Society.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Hickory Street Presbyterian Church on this auspicious occasion. More than anything, Hickory Street Presbyterian Church has spread the love of Jesus Christ through its mission and ministry, through its local, national and world outreach and through the devotion and love of its people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Frances Kovaleski of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, who has been named ``Woman of the Year'' by the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women.

Mrs. Kovaleski is a daughter of Marguerite Schmidt Roland and Francis Roland, of West Scranton. Her parents were active in Democratic Party politics and they impressed upon their daughter the political values they shared.

Even in high school, Frances volunteered to work in a Scranton mayoral campaign for former Democratic Mayor James J. Walsh.

Frances graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Scranton and went on to cosmetology school, after which she and a friend opened their own beauty salon.

Frances married Kenneth Kovaleski in 1971 and the couple had three sons. Several years ago, Mrs. Kovaleski worked on the campaign of Linda Munley, who was running for register of wills in Lackawanna County. Mrs. Munley won and appointed Mrs. Kovaleski to serve as her deputy.

Mrs. Kovaleski is also active in other civic endeavors. Besides serving as a member and treasurer in the Lackawanna County Federation of Democratic Women, Mrs. Kovaleski also works tirelessly for St. Joseph's Center, serving as president in 2005 and presidential advisor this year. She also served on its board of directors and many of the committees.

Mrs. Kovaleski served as president of the Society of Irish Women in 2004.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mrs. Kovaleski. Her devotion to Democratic causes and her commitment to family and community have touched the lives of many people in a positive manner and have improved the quality of life in Lackawanna County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Clifford and Ruth Melberger, of West Pittston, PA. This year, the Anti Defamation League of Eastern Pennsylvania has selected them to be the recipients of the Distinguished Community Service Award.

Both Ruth and Clifford have been long time champions of the greater Wyoming Valley, the community in which they were both born and raised. They have consistently committed themselves to their family, educational programs and the growth of the region for current and future generations.

Since her days as an art teacher in West Pittston and East Pennsboro High Schools, Ruth has worked with many community associations. She is presently on the board of directors of the Scranton Cultural Center, the West Pittston Cemetery Association, the West Pittston Historical Society and she has been a volunteer for the Meals on Wheels program for 14 years. She is also an elder in her church.

Ruth also served on the President's Council of Wilkes University, the boards of directors of the Pittston YMCA and the Scranton Council for Literacy Advance. She also headed the West Pittston Shade Tree Commission for 15 years.

Ruth and Clifford founded Diversified Information Technologies, an information management company of which Clifford serves as president and chief executive officer.

Clifford is currently on the board of trustees of Wilkes University, the steering committee of the Great Valley Technology Alliance, board of directors of the State of PA Business Roundtable and he is an elder in his church.

Clifford was a member of the board of trustees of Bucknell University as president of their National Alumni Association. He was also a member of the board of Team Pennsylvania, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Scranton Tomorrow, the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club and the Bison Athletic Club of Bucknell University.

Clifford received the Arthritis Foundation's 1998 Community Leader of the Year Award for Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce National/International Business of the Year Award, the Ben Franklin Partnership Award for Excellence of Innovation, Bucknell University's Bison Club Award for outstanding contributions to the University's athletic program and a member of the Wyoming Area High School and Bucknell University Athletic Halls of Fame.

Clifford is also the namesake for the ``Melberger Award,'' an annual award presented to the most valuable Division III college football player in the nation.

Ruth and Clifford are committed to educational causes as both attended college on scholarships. They have established the Ruth Boorom Melberger scholarship at Wilkes University, a Player of the Game scholarship at Wilkes University and Bucknell University for each home football game and named scholarships in honor and memory of family members at Bucknell University.

Ruth earned a bachelor's degree in art education with minors in English and social studies from Wilkes University and Clifford earned a bachelors degree in business administration and a masters degree in education from Bucknell University.

They have two children and six grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Melbergers. Their commitment to community service is exemplary and it is fitting that the Anti Defamation League should honor them in this way. Clearly, the Melbergers have improved the quality of life in the greater Wyoming Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Father Paul McDonnell, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Pittston, Luzerne County, PA. Father McDonnell was recently selected by the Pittston Sunday Dispatch newspaper to receive the title of Person of the Year for 2005.

The honor is due to Father McDonnell's success in building a new parish community center to serve all citizens in the Pittston area.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish consists of 2,300 members and is showing signs of growth. Father McDonnell recognized in 2002 that the church basement, which hosted community events, was no longer adequate.

He subsequently launched a capital campaign to raise the funds needed for the construction project. The design called for the center to be physically tied into the church so they looked like one building. The plan called for the new center to be supported by the church. But, engineers discovered that a large part of the church's foundation had collapsed during an earlier mine cave-in and it was remarkable that the church over the void was even supporting itself, let alone a new structure. The void was filled with concrete and steel and new steel supports were designed to enable the church to support the weight of the new center.

The Sunday Dispatch newspaper, in reporting on the opening of the new center last year, commented, ``The dedication of the parish center . . . was more than just the opening of a building--it was a moving testament to faith, an astonishing display of generosity and an amazing feat of engineering.''

Father McDonnell is an exceedingly popular church leader in the city of Pittston, PA. Many people believe it is his personality and exuberance that has his parish growing while others decline. He is especially liked by the elderly. ``In his interaction with the elderly, you can see the love they have for him by how they look at him. He touches them, he speaks to them, he listens to them and he laughs with them,'' the Dispatch wrote.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Father McDonnell for a job well done. His selection as Pittston Person of the Year is a fitting honor for a priest who has captured the admiration of an entire community due to his love of fellow man, his warmth and his enthusiasm. Truly, Father McDonnell has improved the quality of life in greater Pittston.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Warren Pollard, of West Pittston, PA, the recipient of the Pittston Sunday Dispatch newspaper's Joseph Saporito Lifetime of Service Award for 2005.

Mr. Pollard has spent decades cooking food for good causes including the Greater Pittston Meals on Wheels for area shut-ins. He often helps deliver the meals as well.

Mr. Pollard grew up in Avoca, PA. He attended Wharton School of Finance in Philadelphia and Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre. He served 2 years with the U.S. Army including a tour of duty in Korea. He returned home to become a bank examiner.

Mr. Pollard first started volunteering as a community cook more than 30 years ago when he started cooking spaghetti dinners for the Boy Scouts from the kitchen at the First United Methodist Church in West Pittston. He has done dinner fund raisers for the local fire company and an annual pork dinner for the church.

His church fund raisers also extend to selling pastry pockets stuffed with meat and vegetables and fruit pies.

Twice a year he cooks for the area's homeless when they stay at his church. And he also does a Thanksgiving dinner which is open to anyone in the community needing food.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in paying tribute to Mr. Pollard. His selflessness and devotion to service and community are truly commendable. It is fitting that he should receive this honor from his home town because Mr. Pollard's work has improved the quality of life in the greater Pittston area.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to the Slovak League of America which is celebrating its 54th Congress on March 31 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, an event hosted by the Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union.

The Slovak League of America is a civic and cultural federation of Americans of Slovak ancestry that was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1907.

The Slovak League was founded in response to the need to bring the sad political and social plight of the Slovak nation to the attention of all Americans.

Since Slovakia's independence from the Czech Republic in 1993, the Slovak League actively promotes close American-Slovak ties through various cultural and educational exchanges and projects.

As an umbrella organization, it represents the overwhelming majority of organized Americans of Slovak ancestry. The Slovak League remains a positive bridge uniting the old world and the new so that Slovak culture and traditions are better appreciated. Slovak Americans can be very proud of their many contributions to the cultural, educational, business and religious traditions which form the fabric of American life.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Slovak League of America on this auspicious occasion. The determination and commitment of a proud people to celebrate their ethnic heritage and pass on their cultural traditions to new generations enriches the quality of life in this nation for all and should be applauded.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Attorney Murray Ufberg, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, who is being honored by the Friends of Scouting of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Ufberg was chosen by the Friends of Scouting for this honor due to his years of community service and civic leadership.

Mr. Ufberg is the managing partner of the law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins and Greenwald, L.L.P. He currently serves on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission.

He is a member of the board of trustees of College Misericordia, the board of directors of WVIA-TV/FM and he serves as the chairman of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes- Barre.

Mr. Ufberg also serves on the boards of directors of the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Community Center of Wyoming Valley and Penn's Northeast, Inc. He is a member of the Luzerne County Advisory Committee to the Pennsylvania Economy League and of the Keystone College President's Advisory Council.

Mr. Ufberg has served as chairman of the United Way of Wyoming Valley's General Campaign in 1990 and he served on and chaired the board of directors of the United Way. He is a past chairman of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and he chaired the Luzerne County Business Roundtable.

He is past president of Congregation Ohav Zedek, the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Greater Wilkes-Barre. He also served as president of the Seligman J. Strauss Lodge and he was past president of the Duquesne University School of Law Alumni Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Mr. Ufberg has been a practicing attorney in the Wyoming Valley for 37 years. He is admitted to practice law before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and various federal courts. He is a member of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association and the Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations. He graduated from Wyoming Seminary and received degrees from Bucknell University and the Duquesne University School of Law.

Mr. Ufberg resides in Kingston, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Margery Ann. They are the parents of three children.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Ufberg on this auspicious occasion. His commitment to community service has helped improve the quality of life in the greater Wyoming Valley and it is fitting that the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America, recognizes his contributions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Thomas F. Karam, of Waverly, Pennsylvania, who is being honored by the Friends of Scouting of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Karam was chosen for this accolade due to his business accomplishments and his community service.

Mr. Karam is recently retired from Southern Union Company, where he served from 2001 to 2005 as president and chief operating officer.

He previously served as executive vice president of corporate development for the company and president and CEO of its PG Energy Division.

Mr. Karam had also been president and CEO of Pennsylvania Enterprises, Inc., from 1996 until 1999, when it was acquired by Southern Union. From September, 1995, to August, 1996, he served as executive vice president of Pennsylvania Enterprises.

Before joining Pennsylvania Enterprises and then Southern Union, from 1986 to 1995, Mr. Karam developed a strong background in finance and investment banking as vice president of investment banking at Legg Mason, Inc., Baltimore. From 1984 to 1986, he served

as vice president of investment banking for Thomson McKinnon, New York City.

Mr. Karam earned bachelor of science degrees in political science and accounting from the University of Scranton. He serves on the board of trustees of the University of Scranton. He also serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of Team Pennsylvania and on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Pennsylvania.

Mr. Karam and his wife, Flora Keating Karam, reside in Waverly, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of two children.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Karam on the occasion of this honor. His leadership and commitment to service is an inspiration to the entire community and his recognition by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America is well deserved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Robert P. Collins, of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, who is being honored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Greater Pittston as their ``Man of the Year'' for 2006.

Raised in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, he attended St. Mary's High School in Wilkes-Barre. He also attended St. Joseph's Seminary in Callicoon, New York. He is a member of the Third Order of St. Francis.

Mr. Collins served with the United States Army during the Korean War and has been the president of the United States Army 306th Field Hospital Association for the past 20 years.

He is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Kingston Post 102, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wyoming Post 396. He is a past commander of American Legion Post 670 and the Korean Veterans Association of the Wyoming Valley.

Mr. Collins is a member of St. Joseph's Church in Wyoming where he has served as a lector and altar server. He is a life member of the Knights of Columbus Council 302, Wilkes-Barre, and Bishop Hafey Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus.

Mr. Collins is a life member of the Wyoming Hose Company, No. 1, and is a former school board member of the Wyoming Area School District.

Mr. Collins is a past president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Avoca Division, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Emerald Society and the Donegal Society of Wilkes-Barre.

Mr. Collins was a member of the Governor's Committee on the Handicapped, having served three Pennsylvania Governors. He was also a member of the White House Committee on the Handicapped, having served three Presidents.

Mr. Collins was assistant to the President of Nelson Manufacturing Company for seven years and has been affiliated with the Metcalf and Shaver Funeral Home for 36 years.

Married to the late Mary Eicke Collins of Wyoming, they had three children.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Collins on the occasion of this honor. Mr. Collins epitomizes what it means to be a community servant. The countless hours he has spent supporting worthy causes and projects has improved the quality of life in the greater Wyoming Valley immensely.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend Attorney William Anzalone of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, who is being honored by the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Greater Pittston as the recipient of their annual Swingle Award.

Mr. Anzalone owns and operates Anzalone Law Offices, a personal injury trial practice with offices in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

A past president of the Luzerne County Bar Association, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association and the Luzerne County Bar Charitable Foundation, he has received certification by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Attorney Anzalone has been chosen by his peers for the title of ``Super Lawyer'' for the past three years, a distinction that places him in the top five percent of practicing lawyers in Pennsylvania.

Bill has served numerous civic organizations. He is a past president of the Wilkes-Barre Chapter of UNICO, having chaired its annual football game for several years. He currently serves as chairman of UNICO's gift committee.

He is a past member of the board of directors of the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, the Lackawanna Junior College, the Greater Wilkes- Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and Leadership Wilkes-Barre.

In 2005, he was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame due to his performance as a defensive back on Temple University's football team.

Bill is married to the former Tina Medico and they are the parents of three beautiful children.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Attorney Anzalone on this auspicious occasion. Attorney Anzalone's contributions to his community speak for themselves. His commitment to service is an inspiration to all.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark A. Ciavarella, Jr., who is being honored by the Wilkes-Barre Friendly Sons of St. Patrick as their 2006 ``Man of the Year.''

A son of Mary Cunningham Ciavarella and the late Mark A. Ciavarella, Sr., Judge Ciavarella was born and raised in the East End section of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Following his graduation from St. Mary's High School, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in history/government and pre-law from King's College. While at King's he attained membership in the Aquinas Honor Society.

He was awarded his Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1975. While at Duquesne, he was inducted into the Order of Barristers, which is an organization that recognizes individuals who have attained outstanding achievement in appellate advocacy.

From 1975 until 1995, Judge Ciavarella maintained a private law practice in the City of Wilkes-Barre. He was a partner in the law firm of Lowery, Ciavarella and Rogers.

From 1976 until 1978, he served as solicitor for the City of Wilkes- Barre and from 1978 until December 31, 1995 he served as solicitor for the Wilkes-Barre City Zoning Hearing Board.

In November of 1995, he was elected to the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas and in November 2005, he was retained by the voters of Luzerne County for another 10-year term.

Judge Ciavarella was formerly a member of Wilkes-Barre Police Civil Service Commission; the pastoral council and finance committee of St. Therese's Church in Wilkes-Barre; Scranton Catholic Diocesan School Board; United Rehabilitation Services, Inc.; Wilkes-Barre Area School District Long Range Planning Committee; Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center Girls Co-Swim Coach and a member of the board of directors of the Luzerne County Association for Retarded Citizens.

He also served as chairman of the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center's Board of Directors and he was an assistant little league coach.

Judge Ciavarella is currently a member of the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center's Board of Directors and the Wilkes-Barre Chapter of

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Mr. Peter J. Forbes, of northeastern Pennsylvania, this year's recipient of The Quiet Man Society's ``Michael F. King, Jr. Armed Forces Veterans Award.''

The award is presented annually to a local individual who, after serving in the Armed Forces, by their actions and involvement in community events, exhibited exemplary continued service to God, family and country.

The award was endowed by The Quiet Man Society in honor of Mr. King, a charter member of the Society, who was wounded twice in

World War II. He is best remembered for the countless hours he spent serving St. Paul's Church, Holy Rosary Church, Holy Family Residence, The Penn Ridge Club and the Irish American Men's Association.

Mr. Forbes served with the Australian Army in the Republic of South Vietnam in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, in 1971 as a combat medic. He also served as a drum major and a piper.

Following a successful business career, Mr. Forbes settled in northeastern Pennsylvania where he currently serves as national commander of the Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc., and the Veterans Coalition, which is headquartered in Pittston, Luzerne County.

Mr. Forbes has made it known that he will dedicate his award to the memory of three Scranton natives who served during the Vietnam War and are believed to have made the ultimate sacrifice and were declared missing in action. Their names are: Frederick Krupa, Wesley Ratzel and Lothar Terla.

To further honor the memories of these men, Mr. Forbes will present a synopsis of their service records to student representatives at each of Scranton's four high schools so the stories of their heroic service can be re-told and so the present generation understands that they and all others who have died fighting for our country are gone . . . but not forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Forbes for his selfless service to military veterans. Those who serve to protect others deserve the best this grateful nation has to give. Mr. Forbes has spent many years advocating for veterans rights, a crusade that has improved the quality of life for all who have worn a uniform and volunteered to place themselves in harm's way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask you and my esteemed colleagues in the House of Representatives to pay tribute to Martin D. Popky, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, who is being honored for his many years of service to the Seligman J. Strauss Lodge of B'nai B'rith Housing Foundation.

Mr. Popky has served as president of the Foundation for 35 years since the establishment of the B'nai B'rith Apartment complex in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the national board that operates 36 B'nai B'rith senior citizen housing projects in six countries.

The owner of a successful independent insurance agency, Mr. Popky recently celebrated 50 years with CNA Insurance Company during which time he was a high performance agent.

A member of the Masonic Lodge, Mr. Popky is also a member of the Irem Temple where he formed the Stewards Unit, serving as chief steward for more than 20 years.

A life member of Temple Israel and a member of Ohav Zedek Synagogue, Mr. Popky also served as secretary and a member of the board of directors of the Jewish Community Center. He was also a three term chairman of the United Hebrew Institute School Board and chairman of its board of trustees.

In 1993, Mr. Popky received the highest honor of the United Hebrew Institute when he received its Shofar Award.

An active volunteer in many civic activities, Mr. Popky founded the American Blind Bowlers Association; served as treasurer of GRIT; was the owner and operator of Washington Square Apartments and was treasurer of the Interfaith Council of Wyoming Valley.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Popky on this special occasion. His commitment to community improvement has had a positive effect on the quality of life in the greater Wyoming Valley and, by his example and hard work, he has demonstrated what it means to be a true leader.