Congressional Record—Senate S6132
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S6132 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE September 27, 2016 So much has changed since Caldwell him- do it you hurt, but you feel great afterward— culture of giving by encouraging alum- self competed in the 1952 Olympics, where a like when you stop hitting your head against ni to support current and future med- lack of television coverage required family the wall. All of us must be nuts, but it’s a ical students. In 2012, the Larners con- and friends seeking results to await the lifestyle, a culture.’’ tributed $300,000 for the purchase of newspaper the next day. It’s the same for the spectator back home. ‘‘That was back in the dark ages,’’ he says ‘‘It takes me a long time to recover from five cardiopulmonary simulators for only half-jokingly. ‘‘When I was racing, no- these early mornings,’’ the grandfather says. the UVM/Fletcher Allen Clinical Sim- body knew much about cross-country, and Even so, after rising this past Wednesday ulation Laboratory. These are just people hardly knew we were there. Every- before dawn, Caldwell still stayed up for his some of the contributions that in 2013 thing is much, much better than it used to weekly 7 to 10 p.m. bridge game. Then on led the university to recognize Dr. be. All this ease of communication has Saturday, he was set to watch grandson Pat- Larner with the UVM Lifetime helped.’’ rick, a freshman at Dartmouth College, com- Achievement in Philanthropy Award. pete in the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Asso- Caldwell has helped, too—by turning his It is through the generosity of lowest point of adversity into a lifetime of ciation championships in Middlebury. achievement. The grandfather of 10 still takes a turn Vermonters like Dr. and Mrs. Larner Some Vermonters may remember his Oslo himself. But the cross-country pioneer says that ensure bright futures for Winter Games as the ones where Rutlander he’s going downhill fast—as an alpine season Vermont’s students and the patients Andrea Mead Lawrence became the only U.S. pass holder at Stratton. they ultimately will serve. Combined woman to win two skiing gold medals. But ‘‘A guy who’s 88 and I go over together. It’s with the excellent education offered by while the late female legend experienced the slow getting the strength back. I got a new the University of Vermont, the hip in May and two new knees in October. I thrill of victory, Caldwell felt the agony of Larners’ contributions create opportu- defeat. have a plastic heart valve and fake shoulder, ‘‘I was on the combined team—cross-coun- too.’’ nities for first-class physicians and re- try and ski jumping—but I was poorly pre- So goes life. So much ‘‘s-u-f-f-a-h-ing.’’ So searchers who will undoubtedly go on pared.’’ much satisfaction. to transform the medical field. Born in Detroit in 1928, Caldwell had ‘‘I’m bionic—and still plugging along.’’ f moved to Putney with his family in 1941. f When his high school needed a cross-country RECOGNIZING CONCEPT2 OF racer for the 1946 state championships, he TRIBUTE TO DR. ROBERT LARNER MORRISVILLE, VERMONT strapped on his sister’s wooden alpine skis. Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, those Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, Continuing on to Dartmouth College, he bor- who call the Green Mountains home Vermont’s business landscape boasts rowed his coach’s slats before the school know that Vermonters value hard work bought him a pair. dozens of cutting-edge startups and Caldwell tried out and made the 1952 Olym- and community in equal measure. The successful small ventures. True to this pic team. But knowing little about proper two often go hand in hand when indi- entrepreneurial and independent spirit training, he toured too many Norwegian viduals give back to the institutions found throughout the Green Moun- bakeries beforehand. The onetime 145–pound and communities that played roles in tains, Concept2, based in Morrisville, athlete weighed 170 by the time he dressed their success. Today I am honored to VT, has once again put our small, rural for his event. But that wasn’t why he needed recognize both an outstanding indi- State on the world stage. help buttoning his shirt—his shoulders ached vidual and an exceptional institution Concept2 is a manufacturer of rowing from falling so often in practice. The rest is history—just not Olympic his- for their respective roles in supporting equipment, founded in 1976 by two tory. the future of medical excellence in brothers, Dick and Pete Dreissigacker, ‘‘That really inspired me to help better Vermont. dedicated to the sport of rowing. There, prepare athletes so they wouldn’t be so Dr. Robert Larner and his wife, they first designed and started selling flummoxed, overwhelmed and thoroughly Helen, recently donated $66 million in a composite racing oars. Many years and thrashed.’’ bequest to the University of Vermont, many innovative models later, these Caldwell started by coaching at his alma UVM, medical school, which has since Concept2 products have become an in- mater, the Putney School, where he worked been renamed in honor of the 1942 tegral presence in the rowing commu- with such up-and-coming skiers as Bill Koch, the first U.S. Nordic athlete to win an Olym- alumnus. The Robert Larner, M.D., nity and have unmistakably changed pic medal (silver in 1976). That, in turn, led College of Medicine at the University an international sport. him to help the American team in a succes- of Vermont will continue to provide a Propelled by these lightweight, sion of Winter Games. first-class medical education while en- Vermont-crafted Concept2 oars and Off the job, Caldwell befriended couraging groundbreaking research in sculls, 32 Olympic rowing teams re- Brattleboro publishers Stephen and Janet the medical field, from cancer to infec- cently brought home medals in the Greene. tious diseases, to neuroscience and be- summer 2016 Olympic Games regatta in ‘‘They said, ‘Are there any books on cross- country?’ I said no.’’ yond. Rio de Janeiro. Bob Beeman of Morris- Soon there was one—his simply titled ‘‘The Born in Burlington’s Old North End ville was sent to Rio as a representa- Cross-Country Ski Book’’—which he updated in 1918, Robert Larner is the youngest tive and on-site technician for until its eighth and final edition in 1987. of seven children, and the only one Concept2. As a trusted and true em- Caldwell also nurtured the sport by helping among his siblings to go to college. He ployee, Beeman, too, was recognized found the New England Nordic Ski Associa- attended the University of Vermont with a medal and certificate from the tion and by forging a family with his wife, after receiving a scholarship for win- International Olympic Committee for Hep, and their four children: Tim competed ning a Statewide debate competition Concept2’s continuous and fair support in the Olympics in 1972, 1976, 1980 and 1984. Peter raced undefeated in college. Jennifer and finished his undergraduate studies of the athletes and their equipment. made the U.S. ski team. And Sverre coached in just 3 years. After completing col- With a nod to Vermont’s core values the Americans in 1988 and fathered the latest lege in 1939, he pursued his medical de- of ethical business standards and giv- generation of family champions, Sophie. gree at the UVM College of Medicine ing back to our communities, the mis- John Caldwell has been waking in the dark and graduated in 1942. Dr. Larner then sion of Concept2 is to support the the past two weeks to drive to Putney’s served in World War II before settling international rowing community and Caldwell Sport—owned by his nephew Zach, in southern California to establish his create equal opportunity for all. Re- who’s assisting U.S. skiers in Russia, and own medical practice. gardless of nation or team flag, the wife, Amy—to watch live Sochi races that, because of the time difference, have started Though he remained in California for crew has worked with rowing teams as early as 4:15 a.m. many years, the Vermont native cred- from around the world to combine ‘‘I’m a Luddite,’’ he says, ‘‘but I emailed its his home State’s flagship university Concept2 technology with human skill Sophie before the sprint and said, ‘Go fast.’ ’’ for providing the education he needed and training. Characterized by hon- Caldwell then cheered her sixth-place fin- to succeed. To ensure that future gen- esty, fairness, and integrity, these val- ish (the best U.S. women’s Olympic cross- erations also receive a similar experi- ues of Concept2 embody the true Olym- country result ever) before, a week later, she ence, regardless of personal finances, pic spirit to level the playing field and ended up eighth in the team sprint. Seen the way skiers collapse after a race? Dr. Larner and his wife have made a allow the best team to win. As ‘‘I joke with them, ‘Are you suffering?’ I number of generous contributions to Vermonters, we are proud to see such a spell and say it ‘s-u-f-f-a-h.’ It sounds mas- his alma mater. For example, the passionate and committed company ochistic, but that’s the way it is. When you Larner Scholars Program has created a rise to the global platform and help VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:14 Sep 28, 2016 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A27SE6.042 S27SEPT1 smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with SENATE September 27, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6133 athletes accomplish their Olympic For Beeman, Rio was the best of the five tivities, while continuing to discover dreams.