[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E99]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING BOB AND TERRY WIDMER

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 7, 2023

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bob and Terry Widmer 
for receiving the honor of the Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award. 
Terry has spent her life in North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has 
a nursing career that spans 20 years. In 2014, Terry oversaw the 
housing component of the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership 
Team. Two years later, Terry became the charter appointee for the 
Denton County Homelessness Leadership Team. She has been a long-time 
advocate for the homeless community in North Texas and has made a 
profound impact on improving the livelihoods of those citizens that 
have been affected. Both she and her husband, Bob, have been active 
members of the Denton Community for decades and they helped form vital 
nonprofits in Denton County such as The Daily Bread, which serves food 
to individuals in need. They have served on numerous boards of 
nonprofits. Bob is a board-certified tax attorney and currently serves 
as a professor at the University of North Texas. In 2016, he started 
the North Texas Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. This clinic allowed local 
graduate students to assist lower-income members of the community with 
specialized and qualified tax assistance. This provided a wonderful 
opportunity to members of the community and helped graduate students 
gain experience before applying to bigger employers. Bob has not only 
been a valuable part of educating the younger generation in North 
Texas, but he has been involved in serving local Veterans. Terry 
referred Veteran clients to Bob's clinic from the Veteran Community 
Navigator pilot program. When Bob learned from Terry that clients of 
the VCN program were working in crowded, unsuitable offices, he 
contacted the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and mobilized a 
community effort with donations and volunteers to renovate office space 
into what is now known as the Denton County Veteran Center. This center 
provides critical and quality care to all Veterans who are in need. 
These actions are remarkable, yet Bob did not stop there. He went on to 
mobilize the community to help the United Way of Denton County create 
the Veterans Mental Health Annex, which expands access to mental health 
services for veterans. These incredible actions have not gone 
unnoticed. In November of 2022, they were recognized by the Board 
Members of the United Way of Denton for their efforts and impact on 
helping those affected by homelessness and mental health challenges in 
their community, especially veterans. The Widmer's have invested their 
time and talent into serving their community, I am honored to recognize 
Bob and Terry's achievements today and I am humbled to share a home in 
North Texas with this couple of such high character. Bob and Terry's 
family, their community, their state, and their nation are made better 
by their selfless contributions and dedication to others. I thank Bob 
and Terry Widmer for their excellent work, and also thank the United 
Way of Denton County Board of Directors for recognizing them with the 
Dr. Bettye Myers Humanitarian Award of 2023.

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