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HR0547 |
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LRB095 12472 KXB 37620 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives is pleased |
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| to honor the 50th Anniversary of the Christian Youth Center in |
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| Joliet; and
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| WHEREAS, In 1947, an independent youth program with |
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| individual clubs throughout the Chicago area had its first Hi |
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| Crusaders meeting in a back room of the old Ridgewood Baptist |
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| Church, and this non-denominational organization was the |
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| springboard from which the Christian Youth Center began; and
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| WHEREAS, The leadership of Harvey Russell helped begin 60 |
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| other Chicago-area Hi Crusaders clubs, of which Russell became |
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| the overseer; and
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| WHEREAS, In the fall of 1957, a group of dedicated |
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| businessmen who had been Hi Crusaders incorporated under the |
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| name of the Christian Laymen's Association and established the |
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| Christian Youth Center, and Chuck Miller became its first |
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| director; and
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| WHEREAS, The teens of the Christian Youth Center first met |
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| in homes, and then the Board of Directors rented a storefront |
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| on Cass Street near the high school, and then, with no visible |
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| means of support or income, purchased an old two-story frame |
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HR0547 |
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LRB095 12472 KXB 37620 r |
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| house at 218 Herkimer; and
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| WHEREAS, In 1961, Harvey Russell began what was to be 40 |
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| years as the Director of the Christian Youth Center, serving |
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| still today as Director Emeritus and remaining fully involved |
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| in the running of the Center; and
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| WHEREAS, It was believed that God wanted a Christian Youth |
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| Center in Will County, so in 1973, the Board of Directors took |
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| another giant step of faith and constructed a beautiful new |
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| facility on 20 acres of land, still without tax dollars or |
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| being on the budget of the United Way, yet the mortgage for the |
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| new building on Manhattan Road was paid in less than four years |
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| thanks to the generous help of supporters; and
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| WHEREAS, The facility and the number of staff have grown; |
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| and
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| WHEREAS, While some of the programs, such as the weekly |
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| hour-long youth radio program, no longer exist, the |
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| after-school programs, youth groups for junior high, high |
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| school and college-age residents, youth and adult sports |
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| programs, day camps, teen camps, and Lend a Hand Ministry have |
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| expanded to reach everyone from five-years-old to senior |
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| citizens; therefore, be it
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HR0547 |
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LRB095 12472 KXB 37620 r |
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we |
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| congratulate the members of the Christian Youth Center in |
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| Joliet on its 50th Anniversary; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to the Christian Youth Center in Joliet as a symbol |
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| of our esteem.
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