[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 414] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO CRATER LAKE SUPERINTENDENT CHUCK LUNDY ______ HON. GREG WALDEN of oregon in the house of representatives Friday, January 18, 2008 Mr. WALDEN of Oregon. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a very special public servant of extraordinary ability and dedication, Crater Lake National Park Superintendent Chuck Lundy. This weekend I will attend in picturesque Klamath County, Oregon, a celebration in honor of Superintendent Lundy's retirement after 33 years of exemplary service to the National Park Service and millions of park visitors from around the world. As Superintendent Lundy officially hangs up his Park Service ranger hat for the last time, I want to share with you, Madam Speaker, and our colleagues some background about this special leader. Chuck Lundy was raised in the small farming town of Swartz Creek, Michigan, which cemented early in his life his affinity for rural areas and the natural beauty of our open spaces. Chuck's parents instilled in him at an early age the virtues of public service and hard work. His father, Frank, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a decorated veteran of the Pacific Campaign, and sustained serious wounds on the initial landing at Iwo Jima. Chuck himself enlisted and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1967-1971, and then graduated second in his class from Northern Arizona University with summa cum laude honors. Chuck actually began his professional career while still in college as a seasonal park ranger. After graduating, Chuck continued what ultimately would be a tremendous 33-year career of service in the National Park Service which concluded with nearly 10 years as Superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, which I'm proud to represent in Congress. During the course of Chuck's career at many national parks and monuments, he was presented many challenges and opportunities. It is well known among his peers, supervisors and local community leaders that each time Chuck accepted a new assignment, he left his prior one having solidly achieved the guiding principle of the Park Service: ``Leave the Park better than you found it''. I can personally attest to the amazing progress made at Crater Lake National Park under Chuck's leadership, and I believe there is not a more dedicated or capable steward of our natural gems in the National Park Service than Chuck Lundy. In November of 1998, Chuck came to Crater Lake National Park as Superintendent. This is the same month I was first elected to Congress. As an avid park and outdoor recreation enthusiast myself, and having secured a seat on the Resources Committee my first term in the House, Chuck and I had the opportunity to work closely together early on. We became fast friends as Chuck constantly kept me posted on his vision to bring resources for the public to Crater Lake, one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the world. President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 signed the bill into law giving Crater Lake national park status. Crater Lake is located in southern Oregon on the crest of the Cascade Mountain range and it lies in a caldera, or volcanic basin, created when the 12,000 foot high Mt. Mazama collapsed 7,700 years ago following a massive eruption. It is a place of immeasurable beauty, and an outstanding outdoor laboratory and classroom. At 1,943 feet deep, it is the deepest lake in the United States. At Crater Lake, Chuck had a great ``product'' to offer and showcase to the public, but maximizing the financial resources and procedural challenges to provide the public the best experience possible at an affordable price while still preserving this natural gem was no small task. Chuck's creativity, thoughtfulness and dedication to addressing all of these aspects resulted in great success. The list of major developments under Chuck's watch at Crater Lake is a long one, I'd like to note just a few of them: A fantastic Centennial Celebration for the park in 2002, which provided the springboard to launch the Crater Lake Trust, the park's distinguished philanthropic group; the creation of the Crater Lake license plate, a smashing success that led to the creation of a multi-million dollar endowment fund to support future operations at the park's new Science and Learning Center; keeping the Rim Redevelopment Project moving to relocate the parking lot away from close proximity to the lake along with beautiful architectural improvements; completion of an incredibly accurate bathymetry, map of the lake, which yields tremendous insights into the eruption of Mt. Mazama and the formation of the lake; and completion of a progressive general management plan for the park to replace a nearly 30-year-old predecessor. Chuck would deflect praise for these substantial accomplishments to others, and while he has benefited from the support of many great people, these successes would not have reached the heights they have without Chuck's leadership and deep involvement. My colleagues, Superintendent Chuck Lundy has been a tremendous servant to the National Park Service and the millions of people who enjoy our parks and monuments. On behalf of our country, I thank Chuck for all that he has done. Chuck will be sorely missed, and I wish him and the entire Lundy family many happy years to come. ____________________