February 27, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 36 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H2239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING ASHLEY AND CHRIS GASPERI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a family from 
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who is dedicated to making our world a 
better and safer world.
  Ashley and Chris Gasperi, ER nurses, were residents of Feasterville 
and worked at Temple University Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center. 
Despite dedicating their careers to caring for others, they both craved 
more and later decided to move to Kenya to establish a nonprofit 
organization that seeks to break the vicious cycle of poverty in rural 
communities.
  Together, they established Ekenywa. Ekenywa works to dig wells, 
sometimes hundreds of feet deep, to establish a reliable water source 
to communities and schools in rural Kenya. The creation of these wells 
allows for solar-powered irrigation systems, enabling communities to 
farm year-round, even in the presence of a drought.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud the work of the Gasperi family and Ekenywa. 
They are truly making a difference in the lives of countless people 
across the world.
  I speak on behalf of our entire Bucks County community when we tell 
them how much we appreciate their service and their sacrifice.


   Recognizing Walker Anderson for His National Science Competition 
                              Achievements

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young 
citizen in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who recently was recognized in a 
national science competition.
  Walker Anderson, a Doylestown resident and a senior at Central Bucks 
West High School, recently won $2,000 as a semifinalist for the 
Regeneron Science Talent Search competition. This recognition was 
received by only 300 students nationwide and only four in the State of 
Pennsylvania.
  As impressive as this may be on its own, this is only one academic 
achievement of Walker's. Walker previously placed first in the under-18 
category at the World Puzzle Championship in Prague, competing on the 
U.S. team, and was recently accepted into the Massachusetts Institute 
of Technology.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure we will hear of Walker well into the future, 
as his STEM research and grasp of complex mathematical and scientific 
concepts is truly remarkable.
  I wish Walker and his parents, Susan and Ken Anderson, all of the 
best. I also thank Mark Hayden, Walker's STEM Research Club adviser, 
for his guidance and his vision.

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