Spotlight on a Delaware Public Servant

Dear Friends

This week is Public Service Recognition Week, a time to honor and thank our local, state, and federal public servants who work hard every day to keep our communities, states and nation running. In keeping with the spirit of Public Service Recognition Week, I would like to take this time to recognize one of Delaware’s own dedicated public servants.

The First State National Monument shares the story of Delaware’s early colonial settlement and how our state was integral to the birth of this great nation.  We can thank Delawarean and First State National Monument Superintendant Russ Smith for his hard work every day to make our monument a place people in and out of Delaware want to visit. Russ is no stranger to public service; he is a 40-year veteran of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.  He’s also no stranger to Delaware.  Growing up in northern Delaware, Russ graduated from William Penn High School, only two miles away from the national monument’s headquarters in Old New Castle. My wife Martha and I had the privilege of meeting Russ for the first time over a year ago during the declaration of the First State National Monument. His dedication to Delaware and our park was as evident then as it is now.

I would like to thank Russ, and all of Delaware’s local, state, and federal public servants for the work they do each and every day.  It is because of dedicated Americans like them that our nation is as great as it is.  I encourage all of you to take some time this week to show your gratitude to a public servant and to learn more about the important work that he or she does each day.

As always, I welcome hearing your views on this issue, or any other, through email or by contacting me on Twitter @SenatorCarper and on Facebook atfacebook.com/tomcarper.  

Sincerely,