Full Text of SR0824 101st General Assembly
SR0824 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Robert "Bob" Vondrasek on April 19, 2019 | 4 | | at the age of 81; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was born on October 13, 1937 to | 6 | | Mildred and Emil Vondrasek; he was a fervent community | 7 | | organizer in the South Austin neighborhood for four decades, | 8 | | where he fought banks and utility companies, city hall and | 9 | | Springfield, and poverty and injustice; he made a lot of | 10 | | friends, from poor single moms living in unheated apartments to | 11 | | powerful politicians who respected his ability to challenge | 12 | | establishment; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was not afraid of color barriers | 14 | | when it came to social justice; known for integrating himself | 15 | | into the Austin community, he would knock on doors, asking | 16 | | people what they needed and getting their gas and lights turned | 17 | | on; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was best known for helping create | 19 | | state and national programs that provide financial assistance | 20 | | to families whose heat had been cut off; he made programs part | 21 | | of the national scene and was a constant in Washington, D.C., | 22 | | advocating for community reinvestment; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, As executive director, Bob Vondrasek led the South | 2 | | Austin Coalition Community Council (SACCC) group to their | 3 | | signature accomplishment, the Low Income Home Energy | 4 | | Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps low-income families | 5 | | pay for their energy bills, various energy-related home | 6 | | repairs, and the weatherization of their homes; and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Through Bob Vondrasek's leadership, SACCC became | 8 | | known as the top grassroots community organization in the | 9 | | Chicago area; he was a great strategist and helped lead | 10 | | community reinvestment, organized senior citizens, and through | 11 | | the SACCC, kept the Austin Bank on its best behavior; he united | 12 | | block clubs and motivated people to join local school councils | 13 | | and churches to open their doors for community meetings; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek retired from his leadership | 15 | | position with the SACCC due to illness, and during an | 16 | | appreciation ceremony at the Austin Satellite Senior Center, | 17 | | community leaders from all over the West Side praised his | 18 | | community involvement; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was known for being the most | 20 | | well-trained, creative, dedicated, and consistent organizer; | 21 | | he was so dedicated to the cause that he once walked in | 22 | | 95-degree heat from a satellite center to go to a community |
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| 1 | | meeting on the West Side; in a tribute delivered in the U.S. | 2 | | House of Representatives in 2018, Congressman Danny Davis | 3 | | described Robert as "the most dedicated, committed and most | 4 | | loyal Saul Alinsky-trained organizer that I have ever known"; | 5 | | and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek loved a good protest; if the cause | 7 | | was just, he would be there at the drop of a hat to lend his | 8 | | voice, and he might bring a busload of his friends; he lifted | 9 | | spirits and taught people how to love, how to live, and how to | 10 | | work together; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was married to Alice (Kerley) for | 12 | | almost 60 years; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek was preceded in death by his sister, | 14 | | Marianne Cosgrove, and his son, John Vondrasek; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Bob Vondrasek is survived by his wife, Alice; his | 16 | | children, Elizabeth, Thomas, and James (Laura); his | 17 | | grandchildren, Alyssa, Brian, Evan, John, Desi, and Mia; his | 18 | | great-grandchildren, Ethan and Emily; and his nieces and | 19 | | nephews, Jack, Julie, Rocky, Mike, and Jana; therefore, be it
| 20 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL | 21 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of |
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| 1 | | Robert "Bob" Vondrasek and extend our sincere condolences to | 2 | | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 3 | | further
| 4 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 5 | | presented to the family of Bob Vondrasek as an expression of | 6 | | our deepest sympathy.
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