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[Pages H771-H772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING EDDIE BRIDGES
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Holding) for 5 minutes.
Mr. HOLDING. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eddie Bridges
of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Members of Congress rarely get the opportunity to honor those who
have truly dedicated their lives to the public good. That is because it
is increasingly
[[Page H772]]
rare to encounter those who are truly selfless, truly dedicated to a
cause larger than themselves, and who truly care about preserving the
best of our natural resources for future generations. Greensboro's
Eddie Bridges is such a rare person.
Madam Speaker, Eddie is an unselfish leader whose love of the
outdoors and sportsmen's community has led him to become one of the
most effective conservation leaders in the history of North Carolina.
On behalf of North Carolina's congressional delegation, I want the
world to know what an impact Eddie has made and to thank him in this
official salute, which nobody has ever deserved more.
Madam Speaker, Eddie founded the North Carolina Wildlife Habitat
Foundation, which raised $5 million and has funded $1.5 million in
conservation projects across North Carolina.
{time} 1045
Eddie has been the driving force behind wildlife resource
improvements that will benefit future generations forever. Thanks to
Eddie's persuasive abilities and creative thinking, he has recruited
the State of North Carolina and others to join him--to the tune of
millions of dollars in projects--to improve wildlife restoration, water
quality, and habitats statewide.
Eddie's foundation has funded, for example, a quail habitat project
in the Sandhills Game Land, a bass habitat project at Jordan Lake, a
North Carolina State University black bear research project in Hyde
County, and created the Frank A. Sharpe Junior Wildlife Education
Center in Guilford County.
We can all thank Eddie Bridges for the idea to create the North
Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's Wildlife Endowment Fund, which
currently has $130 million in assets and has funded $70 million for
wildlife restoration and habitat improvements.
Madam Speaker, Eddie also helped create the State waterfowl stamp and
State income tax checkoff for nongame and endangered wildlife, which
together have raised $10 million for nongame wildlife and waterfowl
projects. The endowments founded by Eddie have raised more than $200
million to preserve and improve our natural habitat areas.
Eddie served 12 years on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission after being appointed by Governor Hunt. He has received top
national awards, including the Field and Stream Conservation Hero of
the Year Award, the Budweiser National Conservationist of the Year
Award, the prestigious Feinstone Award, the Thomas L. Quay Wildlife
Diversity Award, and the Chevron Conservation Award. Last year, Eddie
was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
But talk to Eddie and he will tell you these awards aren't about him;
they are about his desire to give something back. As Eddie said to the
Wilmington Star-News last January: ``It's about much more than me. It
honors the 1 million men, women, and children who hunt and fish and
inject more than $1.3 billion into North Carolina's economy every
year.''
An accomplished athlete at Elon University, a leader in the sportsman
community, and a hunter and angler legend, conservationist Eddie
Bridges has made a positive impact on North Carolina's natural
resources like no other before him.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the entire delegation, I wish to thank
Eddie for his years of service, his incredible resource development to
strengthen our State's wildlife, and the educational impact on our
youth and future generations. It is truly an honor to know Eddie and to
recognize him today.
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