The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO DON CHILDERS
______
HON. HAROLD ROGERS
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Monday, November 1, 2021
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise to wish my good friend, Don Childers from Letcher County, Kentucky a very Happy 90th Birthday.
Don has been a close friend over the years, becoming one of my earliest and strongest political allies in the coalfields of Kentucky's Appalachian region. He has led a remarkable career in the oil industry after starting from humble beginnings in Hellier, Kentucky.
Hard work and determination have defined his storied lifetime. Don put himself through college by driving a coal truck, earning $13.05 per day. He earned an associate degree from Pikeville College in 1952 and a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Kentucky in 1954. That same year, Don was drafted into the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany, leaving behind his wife and newborn daughter. After fulfilling the call of duty, he returned to Hellier High School in 1956, where he accepted a job as a teacher and basketball coach. Education, however, became the shortest term of his career.
Six weeks into his new job as a teacher and coach, Don was offered a job with Gulf Oil Corporation as a Territory Manager, spanning 22 counties in southeastern Kentucky. Working with some of the best operators in the region, Don quickly learned the ropes of the petroleum business, leading to speedy promotions within the company. Ten years after working for the Gulf Oil Corporation, Don asked for the rare opportunity to purchase the Whitesburg operations, so he could raise his family at home in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. The company accepted his offer and Childers Oil was born. Today, they employ over 1,000 people, including its full-service 24-
hour convenience stores and affiliated companies.
The Childers Oil Company has always been a family venture with his wife, Peggy, leading kitchen recipes and retail operations. Their two daughters and son-in-law now play key roles in the company, and the third generation is coming on strong with a full understanding of their grandfather's business philosophy. This family-owned and operated business is also a wonderful steward of the communities they serve, partnering with numerous civic and charitable organizations every year, reinvesting in the region they love so much.
In addition to Don's work in the oil industry, he has tirelessly worked to bring additional jobs and opportunities to the region through his work on the Letcher County Planning Commission, which he established with a group of community leaders 17 years ago. They have patiently advocated for a federal corrections facility to be built in Letcher County to create hundreds of good-paying jobs in Eastern Kentucky. Knowing the additional opportunities that could arise with a new prison, Don also launched the Letcher County Airport Board to meet aviation needs in our mountainous terrain. He is a bold, visionary leader who has inspired many others to think out-of-the-box for innovative industry goals in Eastern Kentucky. Don is also a man of great faith, having dedicated more than 55 years as a member of the Whitesburg First Baptist Church.
I count it a great honor to celebrate Don Childers and his many accomplishments on his 90th birthday. I hope this year is filled with many more blessings for Don and his family.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 191
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