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U.S.
Representative John Boehner
Serving
Ohio's 8th District is all about the
People
WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Today, Speaker John Boehner
(R-OH) released the following column discussing his Ohio guests for the
2013
State of the Union Address:
“Recently,
several blogs used a Flickr photo of
me in my U.S. Capitol office to compile lists of the ‘most interesting
things’
on my desk. Clearly, it must have been a slow news day.
“My
daily devotional made one list, as did a
miniature statue of St. Peter, my copy of a history of beer-making in
Over-the-Rhine, and a framed cartoon from the New Yorker of two
shepherds
watching in awe as a kid successfully herds a group of cats. On tough
days, I
can relate with those shepherds.
“All
kidding aside, the best part about my job
is – without a doubt – the people. From small business owners and
veterans to
doctors and school kids, there’s not a day when I don’t meet someone
new.
“Prior
to President Obama’s State of the Union
Address, I visited Cincinnati State Middletown and Vinylmax in Hamilton
to
listen to students, employees, and local leaders. These meetings are
just one
of the many ways – along with email, Facebook and my Twitter account
(@SpeakerBoehner) – I stay connected and engaged in helping expand
opportunity
for people in southwest Ohio.
“The
following day, I was honored to host a
number of special guests in Washington for the State of the Union
Address,
including Ohio Rep. Ross McGregor and Jason Barlow, both of Clark
County. In
addition to representing Ohio’s 79th District, Rep. McGregor also runs
a local
small business – Pentaflex. Jason serves as President of UAW Local 402
and is
employed at Navistar trucking, a major employer in Ohio’s Eighth
Congressional
District.
“From
the Dayton and the Piqua area, I was
joined by Dr. Anne Eiting Klamar, President and CEO of Midmark, a
leading
medical and dental device manufacturer in Dayton, and State Board of
Education
Member and Chair of Edison Community College’s Board of Trustees Darryl
Mehaffie.
“And
from Liberty Township, I was glad to be
joined by friends John and Trish McCaffrey and their son Don. The
McCaffreys
are active members of the community, and belong to the St. Maximilian
Kolbe
Catholic Church.
“But
I think everyone would agree that former
Reds bat boy Ted Kremer stole the show.
“Thirty
years ago, Ted’s parents, Dave and
Cheryl, were told by doctors that their newborn son with Down Syndrome
probably
wouldn't ever talk or smile. Ted’s parents never gave up, and he’s been
defying
expectations ever since.
“Today,
Ted not only talks, he swims, takes
dance classes, plays softball, and rides horses. He also smiles. A lot.
“As
many know, Ted captured the heart of the
Reds – and all of Cincinnati – last September when he joined the team
as bat
boy for a day. Upon discovering Ted’s story, Enquirer reporter John
Erardi
wrote ‘the remarkable thing wasn’t that Teddy Kremer retrieved bats and
foul
balls and brought baseballs to the home plate umpire, it is that he did
it with
such aplomb, gusto and unbridled joy.’
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