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| | HR0045 | | LRB101 06180 ALS 51203 r |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
| 3 | | Representatives wish to recognize the Chicago Montford Point |
| 4 | | Marines Association; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, The Montford Point Marines Association is a |
| 6 | | nonprofit military veteran's organization founded to |
| 7 | | memorialize the first African Americans to serve in the United |
| 8 | | States Marine Corps, who were restricted to a segregated boot |
| 9 | | camp in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and served from 1942 until |
| 10 | | 1949; and
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| 11 | | WHEREAS, The National Montford Point Marines Association |
| 12 | | is dedicated to serving veterans and the community, and they |
| 13 | | have 36 chapters throughout the United States, along with |
| 14 | | several chapters of the Ladies Auxiliary; the association is |
| 15 | | comprised solely of veterans and volunteers, and its mission is |
| 16 | | to preserve the legacy and perpetuate the memory, spirit, and |
| 17 | | comradeship of the original members; and
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| 18 | | WHEREAS, The Chicago Montford Point Marine Association was |
| 19 | | established after a reunion of the Montford Point veterans in |
| 20 | | August 1965; the Chicago chapter has 35 members, including four |
| 21 | | of the men who served in the first group of black Marines, |
| 22 | | known as the "Original 400"; in Chicago, the group's chapter |
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| | HR0045 | - 2 - | LRB101 06180 ALS 51203 r |
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| 1 | | operates out of a building in Englewood, which has served as a |
| 2 | | community meeting space, resource center, and safe haven for |
| 3 | | veterans for more than 50 years; and
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| 4 | | WHEREAS, The Chicago Montford Point Marine Association |
| 5 | | supports and promotes activities for the social betterment and |
| 6 | | enlightenment of the community, and, over the years, the |
| 7 | | group's scholarship program has given $40,000 to students; |
| 8 | | their Christmas Basket program has donated $50,000 to shut-in |
| 9 | | veterans and needy families, and a back-to-school program has |
| 10 | | provided over 1,000 book bags to children; therefore, be it
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| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE |
| 12 | | HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
| 13 | | we recognize the past sacrifices of the Chicago Montford Point |
| 14 | | Marines Association members, commend the Chicago Montford |
| 15 | | Point Marines Association for their continued contributions to |
| 16 | | their community, and encourage the citizens of Illinois to |
| 17 | | support the organization as it struggles to continue to fulfill |
| 18 | | its mission; and be it further
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| 19 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 20 | | presented to the Chicago Montford Point Marines Association as |
| 21 | | an expression of our esteem and respect.
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