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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives wish to congratulate Sandra Eckhardt, a Direct | ||||||
| 4 | Support Professional (DSP) with Ada S. McKinley Community | ||||||
| 5 | Services in Chicago, on being honored with the Illinois DSP of | ||||||
| 6 | the Year Award by the American Network of Community Options | ||||||
| 7 | and Resources (ANCOR); and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, Sandra Eckhardt has distinguished herself through | ||||||
| 9 | years of selfless service to individuals with intellectual and | ||||||
| 10 | developmental disabilities, embodying the highest ideals of | ||||||
| 11 | direct support work through her patience, empathy, and | ||||||
| 12 | unwavering commitment to the dignity and well-being of those | ||||||
| 13 | she serves; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Sandra Eckhardt demonstrates a remarkable ability | ||||||
| 15 | to recognize and cultivate the unique strengths and abilities | ||||||
| 16 | of each individual she supports, creating personalized | ||||||
| 17 | approaches that empower them to lead fuller, more independent, | ||||||
| 18 | and more meaningful lives; and | ||||||
| 19 | WHEREAS, Sandra Eckhardt's innovation is guided by empathy | ||||||
| 20 | and imagination; she does not create for recognition but to | ||||||
| 21 | see the people she supports smile, learn, and believe in | ||||||
| 22 | themselves, reminding everyone that innovation in human | ||||||
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| 1 | services begins with the heart and grows through compassion, | ||||||
| 2 | creativity, and the courage to see possibilities where others | ||||||
| 3 | may not; and | ||||||
| 4 | WHEREAS, Sandra Eckhardt is beloved by the individuals she | ||||||
| 5 | supports, as evidenced by the heartfelt words of one of those | ||||||
| 6 | individuals, Tara, who wrote simply "I love Sandy because she | ||||||
| 7 | loves us", a testament to the profound and lasting bonds she | ||||||
| 8 | has formed through her work; and | ||||||
| 9 | WHEREAS, ANCOR recognizes DSPs across the United States | ||||||
| 10 | during its annual convention, and during the 2026 ceremony, | ||||||
| 11 | Recognizing Excellence 2026, Sandra Eckhardt was recognized as | ||||||
| 12 | the Illinois DSP of the Year among 56 other DSPs and colleagues | ||||||
| 13 | with Ada S. McKinley Community Services; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, DSPs like Sandra Eckhardt are the backbone of the | ||||||
| 15 | human services system in Illinois, and their extraordinary | ||||||
| 16 | work deserves recognition and celebration by the entire State; | ||||||
| 17 | therefore, be it | ||||||
| 18 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 19 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 20 | we congratulate Sandra Eckhardt on being recognized as 2026 | ||||||
| 21 | Illinois Direct Support Professional of the Year by the | ||||||
| 22 | American Network of Community Options and Resources, and we | ||||||
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| 1 | extend our sincere appreciation for her outstanding service, | ||||||
| 2 | her compassion, her innovation, and her dedication to | ||||||
| 3 | improving the lives of people with intellectual and | ||||||
| 4 | developmental disabilities throughout the State of Illinois; | ||||||
| 5 | and be it further | ||||||
| 6 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 7 | presented to Sandra Eckhardt as an expression of our esteem | ||||||
| 8 | and respect. | ||||||