Recognizing Mr. David Wartofsky's Contributions to National Transportation Week

RECOGNIZING MR. DAVID WARTOFSKY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION WEEK -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 24, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. STENY H. HOYER
OF MARYLAND
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2004

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. David Wartofsky's contributions to National Transportation Week. For the past five years, Mr. Wartofsky has closed Potomac Airfield, his private airport in Ft. Washington, Maryland, so that 1,000 school children can participate in National Transportation Week events.

This year, on May 20, Potomac Airfield will host nearly 1,000 students from Washington D.C. area elementary, middle and high schools. These children will have an opportunity to view 22 different aircraft and 18 transportation-related exhibits. In addition, the winners of several contests will be recognized. Winners of Odyssey of the Mind Aircraft Flyer Contest will demonstrate their aircraft on the runway. Winners of the Music of the Mind will perform on stage, celebrating, "One Nation on the Move." Winners of the poster contest will see their work on display.

All of this would not be possible without the cooperation and support of Mr. David Wartofsky. Fondly nicknamed the "Big Cheese," Mr. Wartofsky is a pilot and self proclaimed gadget freak. As the owner of Potomac Airfield, he prides himself on being at the "heart" of our nation's airspace, and that statement has come to mean so much more than geography. His passion for aviation is more than the business he operates; he's transformed it into an investment in our community. I applaud Mr. Wartofsky for his contributions to National Transportation Week. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. David Wartofsky and Potomac Airfield which reflects the personality of the "Big Cheese" and is often described as a "fun airport and a good bunch of interesting friends."

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