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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF MARK DAVIS
______
HON. HAROLD ROGERS
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to
Mark Davis in appreciation of his dedicated service to the people of
Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District, specifically through his
tireless work with Operation UNITE and the Eastern Kentucky PRIDE
organization over the last two decades.
I count it a great honor to have had high-caliber individuals, like
Mark, helping lead initiatives that I personally launched to meet dire
needs across more than 40 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky.
He's the type of individual who has sacrificed countless hours,
executing a broad spectrum of tasks with his unique charisma, the
utmost humility, a tireless reliability and sheer excellence.
Mark joined Eastern Kentucky PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a
Desirable Environment) in 2002 as a Field Representative. PRIDE is a
grassroots non-profit organization that was launched to help clean-up
the hillsides, roadways, lakes and streams, across our beautiful
Appalachian region in Kentucky. Thanks in-large-part to Mark's
ambition, organizational skills, and drive, upwards of 30,000
volunteers have participated in litter clean-up campaigns every year to
improve the environment. There has never been a task too great or too
small for Mark. He was always the first to graciously give his time and
energy for the greater good, whether it involved greeting volunteers at
events and handing out trash bags, or working directly with state
officials to clean up the largest illegal dumpsites in Eastern
Kentucky, or educating students about the value of greenhouses and
protecting our wetlands. While others discussed ways to improve our
environment, Mark was outdoors getting the job done. PRIDE's work is
where the rubber meets the road--and Mark could often be found pulling
up his bootstraps to haul appliances from illegal dumpsites, transport
volunteers to service sites, building outdoor classrooms, and finding
every opportunity to make a difference every single day.
Mark's passion for PRIDE bled over to another powerful movement in
our region, Operation UNITE, a holistic non-profit organization aimed
at curbing the deadly opioid epidemic both in our region and
nationwide. After faithfully volunteering for Camp UNITE, where he
served as a mentor to at-risk middle school students, he joined the
UNITE team in 2014 as the Youth Programs Coordinator, and later a Law
Enforcement Liaison. In an effort to creatively raise drug-free
awareness among our youth, Mark operated a state-of-the-art mobile
education trailer and prevention program, called ``On the Move,'' in
partnership with the Kentucky Army National Guard and the Appalachian
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA). Since 2013,
approximately 40,000 students from schools in 43 counties and four
states have participated in the interactive program. He also played a
valuable role each year at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin
Summit, coordinating logistics for the event that has grown into the
largest conference in the country aimed at saving lives and addressing
the nation's opioid crisis through a multipronged approach.
Mark is the teammate you want to have in the fox hole with you when
things get tough, and the comic relief you need on a difficult day. His
dedication, his inspirational attitude, and perseverance have set the
bar high for programs operated by PRIDE and UNITE. I'm grateful for the
personal efforts that he has invested in the lives of countless
students and families across Southern and Eastern Kentucky, and I wish
him the very best success in the years ahead.
____________________
