HR0210 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0210 LRB097 11272 KXB 53278 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to commend Glennita A. Williams and her work with America's Guardian Angels; and

WHEREAS, After her friend's father was deployed to Al Kasik, Iraq in 2007, Glennita began working on America's Guardian Angels; and

WHEREAS, While Major Michael Striverson was in Iraq, Glennita emailed him as to what he would like to have while stationed overseas and he replied he was craving Hostess Twinkies; and

WHEREAS, Glennita realized that Major Striverson was probably not the only soldier craving something sweet so she decided to ask her 5th grade teacher and classmates at McKinley School in South Holland to help her send Major Striverson and his troops some Hostess products, and named the project "Operation Twinkie"; and

WHEREAS, In 10 days Glennita and her classmates collected and shipped more than 1,000 products for the soldiers in Iraq; in the 6th grade, Glennita expanded her project from the classroom to the entire school and asked for care items for the veterans at Edward Hines VA Hospital; hundreds of items were collected and more than 160 care packets were made; and

WHEREAS, Glennita arranged for the school choir to accompany her in passing out the packets and singing songs to the veterans; the visit inspired Glennita to show her appreciation towards the men and women in the military and one month later she was responsible for the collection of more than 3,000 Twinkies, along with Starbucks coffee, being shipped to Afghanistan and Iraq; and

WHEREAS, Glennita desired to do more for the soldiers, so she asked her community for assistance; now, with help from South Holland Mayor Don De Graff and his staff, 19 different care items, along with Twinkies, are being collected throughout the community; and

WHEREAS, What started out as a onetime project from the heart of a child has become a mission; Glennita A. Williams is now the Founder and President of America's Guardian Angels, a foundation that is committed to the men and women serving this country; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend Glennita Williams for her hard work and dedication to giving back to the men and women of the military; and be it further

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