HR1293 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1293 LRB094 20482 HSS 58743 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Centralia Business and Professional Women (BPW) were recently named Club of the Year for clubs with over 25 members by the National Business and Professional Women organization; and

WHEREAS, Last year, the Centralia BPW saw membership growth with 15 new members and one transfer; new members are assigned a mentor, encouraged to attend the mentoring gatherings held prior to the general meetings, and they are spotlighted in the monthly newsletter; five-year through 35-year members are awarded a pin at the annual guest night, and nine percent of the club's members are part of the BPW USA Red Purse Society; and

WHEREAS, The group is active in the community; the club participated in the Community Clean-Up Day, worked at the Recycle Center, placed American flags along major streets to honor Independence Day, participated in the American Heart Walk, marched in the Annual Halloween Parade, served as ushers for the Annual Candlelight Concert, rang Salvation Army Bells, donated canned goods and toys and made cash donations to the Food Pantry, made monetary contributions to the local library, donated items to Persons Against Violent Environments and Sexual Assault Family Emergencies, collected donations for Hurricane Katrina, and held its Third Annual Womenomics Forum; in October, pink tulip bulbs were planted in the "Garden of Hope" in a local park to remind people about breast cancer; and

WHEREAS, The organization works to benefit young people; the group's Choices program was a huge success as approximately 250 seventh and eighth graders heard speakers talk about the dangers of teen smoking and participated in a presentation on divorce and the effects it has on today's youth; seven scholarships will be awarded in April totaling $3,500; and

WHEREAS, The Centralia members are not only active in their BPW club but they participate in many service organizations such as Jaycees, the Optimist Club, Sunrise Rotary, the Junior Women's Club, Afternoon Rotary, the Lady Elks, Lioness, the Salvation Army Board, the VFW Auxiliary, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Ladies of the Moose, the Healthcare Foundation, the Red Cross, the Literacy Council, the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, church affiliations, and many more; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Centralia Business and Professional Women on being named Club of the Year for clubs with over 25 members by the National Business and Professional Women organization; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Centralia Business and Professional Women as an expression of our esteem.