March 13, 2018 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E301 To his brother, two nieces and a nephew, all embody the Christmas spirit of giving, and are in the future and I am honored to be their of whom survive him, we pray that God will an inspiration to us all. For that, I am pleased Congressman. deliver you from the pain that his passing has to honor and recognize their outstanding act of Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States visited on you. kindness. Congress, I am privileged to recognize Chris- To those he was honored to serve as a f tian and Cass Oakes for their extraordinary proud representative of District K: all of us in humanitarian and relief efforts across our state public life are inspired by his example and his RECOGNIZING CHRISTIAN OAKES of Florida and around the United States of fortitude and while we know he is looking FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY HU- America. MANITARIAN AND RELIEF EF- down on us, we can only seek to honor his f time on Earth by emulating his service. FORTS TO HURRICANE VICTIMS In a time of wanting leadership, let those of RUBY EAMES us still on this Earth be inspired by Larry HON. MATT GAETZ Green’s example and his service and strive to OF FLORIDA HON. ED PERLMUTTER be worthy of his legacy. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF COLORADO I ask the House to observe a moment of si- Tuesday, March 13, 2018 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES lence in memory of the beloved Larry Green, Tuesday, March 13, 2018 who as much as anyone reflected the heart- Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to beat of Houston. honor Christian Oakes of Walton County, for Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise f his success and remarkable relief efforts to today to recognize and applaud Ruby Eames reach those devastated by hurricanes Harvey, for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service JORDAN CROSS Irma and Maria. Ambassadors for Youth award. Weathering through the storm to reach Ruby Eames is a student at Drake Middle HON. ED PERLMUTTER those previously deemed ‘‘unreachable,’’ School and received this award because her OF COLORADO Christian Oakes defied all odds. His leader- determination and hard work have allowed her IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ship and persistence represent what North- to overcome adversities. west Florida is all about—helping those in The dedication demonstrated by Ruby Tuesday, March 13, 2018 times of need. Eames is exemplary of the type of achieve- Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise Christian and Cass Oakes were married on ment that can be attained with hard work and today to recognize and applaud Jordan Cross August 21, 2017. Four days later, they ex- perseverance. It is essential students at all for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service changed their honeymoon for a rescue mis- levels strive to make the most of their edu- Ambassadors for Youth award. sion. Without a second thought, they loaded cation and develop a work ethic which will Jordan Cross is a student at Arvada West up donated supplies that Christian miracu- guide them for the rest of their lives. High School and received this award because lously accumulated by reaching out to busi- I extend my deepest congratulations to her determination and hard work have allowed ness partners and clients, and headed to help Ruby Eames for winning the Arvada Wheat her to overcome adversities. Harvey victims in Texas. Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. The dedication demonstrated by Jordan Mr. Oakes’ relentless spirit in helping the I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedi- Cross is exemplary of the type of achievement people of Texas is a spirit that I hope every- cation and character in all of her future ac- that can be attained with hard work and perse- one can look to and admire. He proved noth- complishments. verance. It is essential students at all levels ing would stop him from doing everything he f strive to make the most of their education and could to help, when he offered the very shoes develop a work ethic which will guide them for off his feet. He traveled from truck to foot to REMEMBERING DANN SPEAR the rest of their lives. boat and finally had to be airlifted by a I extend my deepest congratulations to Jor- Blackhawk—which he thought was pretty cool. HON. JOHN GARAMENDI dan Cross for winning the Arvada Wheat Christian extended his hand to people he had OF CALIFORNIA Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. never met before. He simply wanted to help. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedi- When Hurricane Irma hit south Florida, Tuesday, March 13, 2018 cation and character in all of her future ac- Christian and Cass immediately began plan- complishments. ning and executing. Using only their Excursion Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today f and U-Haul trailer, they delivered over 5,000 to honor the memory of Dann Spear, a 40- cubic feet of supplies in Collier County, Florida year resident of Yuba County, who passed VIRGINIA KINCH alone. Christian was so incredibly dedicated to away unexpectedly on February 22, 2018. this mission, he passed up an opportunity to Dann was born to William C. ‘‘Doc’’ and HON. KEN BUCK meet the President so he could immediately Margie Spear in Ventura, California in 1954. OF COLORADO begin preparation for the next relief effort. He grew up around horses and livestock, and IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Following the aftermath of Maria in Puerto worked at the family business at the Ojai Val- Rico, Mr. Oakes’ rose to overcome many chal- ley Inn Riding Stables and Matalija Ranch in Tuesday, March 13, 2018 lenges. One of those being the need to admin- his youth. He graduated from Nordhoff High Mr. BUCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to rec- ister vaccines to those affected by the flu. School in 1972, and while attending Cal Poly ognize the generosity of Virginia Kinch and After running into some issues, he contacted S.L.O., he competed in college rodeo and her family in Longmont, Colorado. my office for assistance and throughout the went on to compete successfully in profes- Last year during the holiday season, Virginia night, together, through many phone calls and sional rodeo in the team roping event. and her daughters were preparing to deliver emails, we were able to successfully get those He married the love of his life, Roberta Thanksgiving meals to the homeless. They vaccines to the proper destination in time for Eskew Spear, in 1974. After attending Cal were shocked to hear about a family living in most to be administered. Poly, they moved back to Ojai, where Dann a broken down school bus behind a truck I am very proud of Christian, his wife Cass began working in the construction industry. stop, so they went to deliver food to them. and their incredible team for the phenomenal After two years, they realized their dream of They discovered that this struggling family had aid for victims in Texas, Florida and Puerto owning a small ranch and moved to three young daughters—a 5 year old, a 14- Rico. This spirit of duty to help others during Marysville, California, where Dann continued month old, and a 4-week old. After providing times of disaster should inspire and be emu- to compete in professional rodeo and contin- the family with a hot meal, Virginia wanted to lated by every American. ued his construction career. Dann worked in do more to help. Fortunately, the Kinch’s had Cass Oakes summed up their mission state- the Public Works Department of Sutter County just completed renovations on a house in ment well as she stated, ‘‘I never want to buy for 30 years, where he loved helping the peo- Greeley that they planned to rent out or sell. anything for myself again, I just want to help ple of Sutter County. Dann also had a strong Instead, Virginia went above and beyond and others. Everything you work so hard for in life faith and love for the Lord in a quiet way and decided to invite the struggling family to move can just be taken away in an instance.’’ always treated people like family. into that home rent-free. Christian and Cass Oakes continue to give Dann and Roberta had two sons, Carson The kindness and selflessness displayed by of themselves on a daily basis to assist those and Brandon. They were involved in 4–H, little the Kinch family is truly remarkable. They fully in need. I look forward to partnering with them league, and high school rodeo, and they never VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:29 Mar 14, 2018 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A13MR8.015 E13MRPT1 dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with REMARKS E302 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 13, 2018 missed a game of Wheatland Pirates football. RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATU- which they live. He has worked with and as- Dann’s boys grew up to become a Captain in LATING RANDY AND DIANE sisted in the founding of several organizations the Army and Iraq War Veteran and a Ser- FRYKBERG FOR THEIR SERVICE that strive to promote conservation based poli- geant in the Yuba County Sheriffs Depart- WITH THE NATIONAL SKI PA- cies, including the Upper White River Basin ment. Dann dearly loved his daughters-in-law, TROL Foundation. He serves on the James River Erin, who is an estate planning attorney at Basin Partnership and is a board member at Guth & Changaris, and Cotie, who is the Nurs- HON.