HR1398 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1398 LRB099 23077 GRL 50528 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the administration and staff of The Courtyard on the occasion of the organization's 25th anniversary of supporting Wellness House; and

WHEREAS, The Courtyard was started in 1991 by eight women whose lives were touched by cancer, to provide ongoing financial support for the then one-year-old Wellness House; the group provides Wellness House with monthly proceeds between other fundraising efforts and serves as a community representative of Wellness House and supporter of the community; and

WHEREAS, The Courtyard has generated more than $4 million in proceeds to Wellness House; volunteers from the Courtyard have donated more than 100,000 hours, a value of $2 million; and

WHEREAS, The Courtyard is now supported by more than 60 volunteers, more than a dozen of whom come in on Mondays when it is closed to help price and process new items and then assist in staging the shop into the beautiful vignettes for which they are known; more than 50 volunteers serve as customer service and sales staff providing a customer-friendly and caring shopping "experience" as well as serve as liaisons for Wellness House providing information about Wellness House and its programs; and

WHEREAS, Terri Barrett, Peggy Claffo, Anne Emmons, Cindy Fick, Laura Mueller, Merry Newman, Genie Nowak, Sue Gelman, Margaret Stocker, Marie Trader, Mary Ann Ryan, Monique Walters, Sheila Botti, Nancy Keenan, and Kathy Ryan have been with The Courtyard since its very first year; and

WHEREAS, The administration and staff of The Courtyard serve as models of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the administration and staff of The Courtyard on the occasion of the organization's 25th anniversary of supporting Wellness House and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

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