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HR0087 |
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LRB096 10750 KXB 20939 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
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| Representatives are pleased to congratulate Friends of the |
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| Parks on the occasion of the organization's 34th Annual Meeting |
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| and Awards Ceremony; and
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| WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks is a non-profit park advocacy |
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| organization that works to protect, preserve and improve parks |
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| and forest preserves in Chicago; it builds stronger communities |
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| by empowering Chicagoans to take ownership of their |
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| neighborhood parks through volunteer activities and civic |
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| engagement; and
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| WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks was formed in 1975 as a |
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| response to a culture of patronage and the inequitable |
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| distribution of tax dollars in the Chicago Park District; it |
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| now undertakes policy studies on public trust issues, develops |
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| new pilot programs such as the after-school program, and |
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| organizes and sponsors workshops, forums, tours, and symposia; |
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| and
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| WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks provides educational and |
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| technical assistance to park advisory councils and assists in |
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| their efforts to improve their neighborhood park operations; it |
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| attends community meetings to lend its assistance to advisory |
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HR0087 |
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LRB096 10750 KXB 20939 r |
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| councils; it serves as the fiscal agent for advisory councils |
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| lacking tax-exempt status; and it provides grants to advisory |
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| councils to encourage local enhancement projects; and
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| WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks organizes 10,000 volunteers |
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| annually in park cleanups, beautification and greening |
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| projects; it offers an Adopt-A-Park program; each year it |
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| organizes and sponsors the Midwest's largest Earth Day Parks |
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| Clean-Up event; and
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| WHEREAS, The 34th Annual Meeting will feature a |
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| presentation by Ed Uhlir, Executive Director of Millennium |
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| Park, Inc., discussing Daniel Burnham's park legacy in Chicago; |
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| former Alderman Leon Despres of the Fifth Ward will present the |
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| Leon Despres Lifetime Commitment to Parks Award to Cindy |
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| Mitchell, former Chicago Park District Commissioner and Board |
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| Chair of Friends of the Parks; eight individuals and |
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| organizations will also be honored for their outstanding work |
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| to improve and protect parks and forest preserves: State |
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| Representative Barbara Flynn Currie and Alderman Pat Dowell win |
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| Legislative Awards, Augie Lehmann of Abbott Park the Individual |
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| Award, Willye B. White Park Advisory Council the Advocacy |
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| Award, REI the Corporate Award, Don Nash Park Advisory Council |
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| the Park Advisory Council Award, and Last 4 Miles Design Team |
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| the Community Service Award; and
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HR0087 |
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LRB096 10750 KXB 20939 r |
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| WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks leads the fight to preserve, |
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| protect, improve and promote the
use of Chicago parks, forest |
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| preserves, recreational areas for the benefit of all |
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| neighborhoods and citizens; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we |
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| congratulate Friends of the Parks on the occasion of the |
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| organization's 34th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, wish |
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| them success in the future, and thank them for their continued |
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| efforts; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| presented to Friends of the Parks as a symbol of our respect |
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| and esteem.
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