HR0912 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0912 LRB095 18642 GRL 44729 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to recognize Countryside Fire Captain Mike Hodges on the occasion of his retirement after 36 years of fire service; and

WHEREAS, Mike Hodges first joined the Countryside Fire Department in October of 1971, at the age of 18; he served as a volunteer/paid on-call firefighter; and

WHEREAS, Mike Hodges was hired as one of Countryside Fire Department's first full-time staffers in 1975, and was assigned Badge #54; and

WHEREAS, Mike Hodges became a Lieutenant in November of 1982, and a Captain in February of 1993; and

WHEREAS, The majority of Captain Hodges' career since 1993 was spent as the shift commander of Black Shift, where he was fondly known as "Uncle Mike"; and

WHEREAS, As head of the Countryside Fire Department vehicle maintenance department, Captain Hodges spent endless hours preparing department vehicles for inspection and ensuring that the Countryside Fire Department always received the highest marks; and

WHEREAS, Captain Hodges always participated in the Lake County Convention Water Fights and was a distinguished teammate in the three and five man hook-up, the bucket brigade, and the water fights; and

WHEREAS, Captain Hodges responded to or was involved in over ten thousand calls during his career; and

WHEREAS, Captain Hodges' wife, Colleen, and their children, Mike, Brianne, and Ben, who are also cherished members of the Countryside family, sacrificed countless nights away from Mike and missed many holidays and birthdays with him when duty called; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Captain Hodges for his dedication to the people and the community of the Countryside Fire District and wish him well in his retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Captain Mike Hodges as a symbol of our respect.