HR1174LRB097 22010 GRL 70736 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of  
3Representatives are pleased to honor Ed and Betty Gardner for 
4their work through their anti-violence non-profit group, Black 
5on Black Love; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Ed and Betty Gardner were the founders and owners 
7of Soft Sheen Products, a hair care company; a Chicago Public 
8School teacher at the time, Ed Gardner took a part-time job 
9selling hair care products to help support his family; despite 
10his lack of formal training in chemistry, he experimented with 
11various components before coming up with a hair and scalp 
12conditioner formula; Soft Sheen Products subsequently grew and 
13grossed nearly $100 million annually at its height; the 
14Gardners sold the business to L'Oreal in 1998; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, After one of his employees was shot in the chest 
16while she was working, Ed Gardner sent an open letter to all 
17major newspapers that read 'black on black crime must stop'; in 
18furtherance of this goal, Ed and Betty Gardner started the 
19non-profit Black on Black Love in 1983 as a media campaign to 
20help stop the violence; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, Today, Black on Black Love runs several 
22anti-violence programs, including My Sister's Keeper, which 
 
 
HR1174- 2 -LRB097 22010 GRL 70736 r

1aims to give female ex-offenders a new direction in life; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, In recognition of their work in their community, 
3the City of Chicago will dedicate East 87th Street at Dobson in 
4honor of Ed and Betty Gardner on July 12, 2012; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Ed and Betty Gardner serve as models of hard work, 
6integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of 
7Illinois; therefore, be it
  
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
9NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
10we honor Ed and Betty Gardner for their work through their 
11anti-violence non-profit group, Black on Black Love, and wish 
12them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it 
13further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to Ed and Betty Gardner as a symbol of our esteem and 
16respect.