Tribute in Honor of Mike Buckles
Floor Speech
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend Mike Buckles upon his retirement from the Daniel Boone Community Action Agency, where he has served as Executive Director for nearly 25 years.
Mike has dedicated his career to assisting individuals and families most-in-need. He turned an agency facing financial hardships into a thriving, successful resource to combat poverty. Mike is a visionary leader, always working to expand services to help as many people as possible in Clay, Jackson and Lee counties. As Executive Director, he increased employment from 40 to 135 employees, added two certified Kentucky Career Centers and increased the budget to over $16 million.
He worked diligently to lift the Daniel Boone CAA out of debt and increased programs for transportation, weatherization, low-income energy assistance, workforce development, child care, housing and emergency services.
As a result of his achievements, Mike was selected to lead Community Action Kentucky as President for two terms. In 2015, he was inducted into the Transportation Hall of Fame and he received the ``Jesse Amburgey Award of Excellence in Community Action'' in 2019. In 2020, he was named a ``SOAR Hero'' by the non-profit SOAR organization--Shaping Our Appalachian Region. Under his leadership, Daniel Boone CAA has also earned many accolades, including the Statewide Transportation Award, Eastern Kentucky Section 531 Award, Vehicle Maintenance Award, Statewide Transportation Award, and the Weatherization Leadership Award, among others.
Thanks to Mike's lifetime of perseverance and due diligence, countless families in our rural region have received assistance when they needed it the most--getting a ride to the doctor's office, getting the training necessary for a new job, keeping warm in the winter, accessing childcare during work hours, and much more. Without a doubt, Mike Buckles has made a resounding difference in southeastern Kentucky and I appreciate his sincere friendship and partnership over the years. I wish Mike a happy and peaceful retirement with his wife Sharon and their beautiful family.
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