Full Text of HR0496 98th General Assembly
HR0496 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to honor the staff and administration of | 4 | | Connection of Friends for their work in serving teenagers and | 5 | | young adults with special needs and developmental disabilities | 6 | | in the Wheaton area; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, In the summer of 2011, Terry and Ginny Kline, the | 8 | | grandparents of 2 special needs children, began researching the | 9 | | availability of programs for special needs students once they | 10 | | reach high school and as they age out of the system; seeing a | 11 | | lack of such programs, they created Connection of Friends to | 12 | | fulfill this need; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Connection of Friends is a community-based | 14 | | program which offers teenagers and young adults with special | 15 | | needs and developmental disabilities a place to socialize with | 16 | | an emphasis on life skills, volunteer, and recreational | 17 | | activities; the program was created to provide a place for | 18 | | social gatherings and an opportunity for young adults with | 19 | | special needs to participate within their community and utilize | 20 | | vocational and life skills for the benefit of themselves and | 21 | | their communities; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, Connection of Friends serves individuals with |
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| 1 | | autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, and | 2 | | other intellectual disabilities in the western suburbs, which | 3 | | include Wheaton, Warrenville, Winfield, Naperville, Glen | 4 | | Ellyn, Downers Grove, and Lisle; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Programs currently offered at Connection of | 6 | | Friends includes the planning and preparing of a daily meal, | 7 | | volunteering at a food pantry, creating newborn hats for a | 8 | | hospital, music therapy, art, gardening, fitness, yoga, | 9 | | nutrition, product creation, and community lunch; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Ably led by Executive Director Sarah Donnelly, | 11 | | Program Director Rose McGowan, and Program Leader Rebecca Ross, | 12 | | Connection of Friends also utilizes a Music Therapist and other | 13 | | part-time staff to assist during Saturday Night Socials; other | 14 | | program volunteers include an art teacher, a gardener, and many | 15 | | high school students; and | 16 | | WHEREAS, The staff and administration of Connection of | 17 | | Friends serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication | 18 | | for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
| 19 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 20 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 21 | | we honor the staff and administration of Connection of Friends | 22 | | for their work and wish them continued success and happiness in |
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| 1 | | the future; and be it further
| 2 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 3 | | presented to Connection of Friends as a symbol of our esteem | 4 | | and respect.
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