HR0424 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0424 LRB103 34484 ECR 64315 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commend the many local businesses that donated their time, money, and support to O'Fallon Fraternal Order of the Police Lodge 198 in order to bestow a custom-designed, 14-passenger bus to the Parent Teacher Organization for Exceptional Children; and

WHEREAS, The Parent Teacher Organization for Exceptional Children (PTOEC) was founded by parents, teachers, and community members to offer individuals with intellectual disabilities a united opportunity to socialize and participate in individual and team sports; and

WHEREAS, The PTOEC was in dire need of a new vehicle due to its prior transportation being in poor working condition and not wheelchair accessible; and

WHEREAS, When O'Fallon Fraternal Order of the Police (FOP) Lodge 198 discovered that the PTOEC could not afford new transportation, the order enlisted the help of several local businesses to help raise the money and provide the labor necessary to work on fine-tuning a new bus; and

WHEREAS, O'Fallon FOP Lodge 198 received overwhelming support from local businesses to make a $25,000 donation, the largest the order has ever made as an organization, to the PTOEC; and

WHEREAS, Jim Ford of South Beach Motors in Pontoon Beach helped locate and purchase a bus at auction; he then drove to Nebraska to pick up the bus and drove it back; and

WHEREAS, Moreland Auto Body of Lebanon donated its time for repairs to make the bus look new again; and

WHEREAS, Tactical Towing & Recovery Inc. of Belleville towed the bus, at no charge, to Mission Accomplished Tire and Auto in Belleville, who in turn made the bus roadworthy and donated both tune up and maintenance packages for bus upkeep at no cost; and

WHEREAS, Southern Bus & Mobility of Breese serviced the vehicle's wheelchair lift, replaced the roof, and installed additional seats to ensure it was safe for all passengers at no cost; and

WHEREAS, United Ink of Belleville donated time and labor to design and install a new vinyl wrap on the bus; and

WHEREAS, Romano's License Service in O'Fallon donated the registration fees and document filing necessary to make the bus street legal; and

WHEREAS, On September 15, 2023, O'Fallon FOP Lodge 198 surprised the athletes of PTOEC at their monthly fun night by gifting them their new custom-designed, 14-passenger bus; and

WHEREAS, The PTOEC's new bus will allow the organization to better support its athletes by getting them to Special Olympics events, whether local or further away, safely; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the many local businesses that donated their time, money, and support to O'Fallon Fraternal Order of the Police (FOP) Lodge 198 in order to bestow a custom-designed, 14-passenger bus to the Parent Teacher Organization for Exceptional Children (PTOEC); and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to O'Fallon FOP Lodge 198, South Beach Motors, Moreland Auto Body, Tactical Towing & Recovery Inc., Mission Accomplished Tire and Auto, Southern Bus & Mobility, United Ink, and Romano's License Service as a symbol of our esteem and respect.