HR0925 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0925 LRB096 20899 KXB 36695 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor Nancy Aardema, Executive Director of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA) in Chicago, for her twenty years of service to LSNA; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Aardema, strongly believes that the Logan Square Neighborhood Association's success has been based on building ongoing relationships of personal trust among individuals and organizations; during her years of service, the organization has looked hard for ways to nurture numerous and varied types of new social relationships within the Logan Square neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, Relationship building is central to all of LSNA's work; the organization strives to maintain Logan Square as a neighborhood that is diverse economically, ethnically, linguistically, and racially; and

WHEREAS, Nancy Aardema is widely recognized as an expert in her field; since 1989 she has led LSNA to become one of the strongest community organizations in the city, with one of the most extensive parent participation programs for low-income and immigrant families in the country; LSNA has also demonstrated key leadership roles in citywide affordable housing campaigns; and

WHEREAS, LSNA's education work received recognition from the State of Illinois and the national Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees as a model program for immigrant integration in 2006; LSNA's Education Team won the Ford Foundation's Leadership for a Changing World Award in October 2005; LSNA was presented with the Chicago Community Organizing Award in May 2005; in 2000, LSNA received the highly-competitive James V. Brown IV Award for Excellence in Community Service; and in 1997 LSNA received the Best Community Organization Award; and

WHEREAS, In 2002-03, Nancy Aardema was recognized for her work with the awarding of the Chicago Community Trust Community Service Fellowship; she was acknowledged in 1995 as "Best Community Organizer" in the "Best of Chicago" series, presented in Chicago Magazine; and

WHEREAS, Her dedication and years of service will be celebrated on March 11, 2010 with A Celebration of Leadership; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Nancy Aardema for her years of dedication and service to the Logan Square Neighborhood Association and the people of the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Nancy Aardema as a symbol of our respect and esteem.