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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate our friend and
4former Illinois State Representative, Ron Stephens, on the
5occasion of being honored as the November 2012 Veteran of the
6Month by the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens served in the United States Army from
81969 to 1971 as a paratrooper with the storied 173rd Airborne
9Brigade; he is a combat veteran who suffered wounds to his
10head, arm, shoulder and hand as a result of enemy fire; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens was awarded the Purple Heart, the
12Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Vietnam Service
13Medal with bronze service star, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal
14with device for his meritorious service; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens has done many great works within the
16veteran community, both in his former capacity as State
17Representative and in his personal life; he has spent more than
1840 years working with the VFW and American Legion to raise
19funds for veteran causes and has participated in and organized
20a multitude of events for fellow veterans and their families;
21he has served as a coordinator of this year's 160-mile Wounded
22Warrior Walk, which raised $16,000 for the Wounded Warriors

 

 

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1Project; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens has worked with the Marine Corps
3League's Trees for Troops and Toys for Tots programs over the
4past 10 years and, as an Army veteran, was honored with the
5Marine Corps League Honorary Membership Award; he has donated
6funds and time to the local Benjamin Mills Daughters of the
7American Revolution Chapter, where he teaches elementary
8school children about the significance of Veterans Day and the
9importance of respecting the American flag and presents all 3rd
10graders in the local school system with their own flags; and
 
11    WHEREAS, As a legislator and veteran, Ron Stephens
12steadfastly lobbied to name particular roads and bridges in
13honor of veterans, in addition to his efforts to honor veterans
14with memorials, including the efforts to name a new bridge
15being constructed over the Mississippi River in the Metro East
16area as the "Veterans Bridge" and in the creation of the
17Springfield Vietnam Veterans Memorial and; he has also been
18involved in fundraising for a Women Veterans Memorial; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens was honored as the November 2012
20Veteran of the Month during a ceremony at the First Christian
21Church in Greenville; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Ron Stephens serves as a model of hard work,

 

 

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1integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of
2Illinois and the world at large; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5we congratulate our friend and former colleague, Ron Stephens,
6on the occasion of being honored as the November 2012 Veteran
7of the Month and wish him continued success and happiness in
8the future; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to Ron Stephens as a symbol of our esteem and
11respect.