Madame Speaker. There are few who are not familiar with the wonderful work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. -- a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength and joy. One of the most successful Make-A-Wish chapters in the country, the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, is headquartered in my congressional district, in Kensington, Maryland.
The gentleman most responsible for this remarkable success - the Mid-Atlantic Chapter's President and CEO for seventeen of its twenty-four years, Mr. Ralph Nappi - is retiring this month.
During Ralph's tenure, the Foundation has grown from fulfilling 40 wishes a year to more than 400, having a significant impact on the lives of children in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Delaware. Ralph has set a standard of excellence that is a model for the other 71 chapters across the U.S. and the 28 around the world.
Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. has fulfilled the wishes of more than 5,600 children fighting illnesses such as cancer, pediatric AIDS, cystic fibrosis, Duchene's muscular dystrophy and heart disease. Remarkably, it has granted the wish of every courageous child referred to it since its founding. Nationally, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted the wishes of 150,743 children - granting one wish every forty-one minutes.
A wish fulfilled creates a memorable experience for a child fighting a life-threatening medical condition and gives that child something wonderful to focus on rather than on medical treatments and hospital visits. Recent wishes granted by the Mid-Atlantic chapter include visiting Walt Disney World, taking a family vacation to Australia, receiving a home computer, having a bedroom redecorated and meeting the Backstreet Boys.
On behalf of my constituents in Maryland's Eighth Congressional District, especially those who have benefited from the wonderful work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, I congratulate Ralph Nappi on his outstanding leadership and thank him for all that he has done. He will be missed greatly by many as he enjoys his well-deserved retirement.