HR0087 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0087 LRB096 10750 KXB 20939 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Friends of the Parks on the occasion of the organization's 34th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony; and

WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks is a non-profit park advocacy organization that works to protect, preserve and improve parks and forest preserves in Chicago; it builds stronger communities by empowering Chicagoans to take ownership of their neighborhood parks through volunteer activities and civic engagement; and

WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks was formed in 1975 as a response to a culture of patronage and the inequitable distribution of tax dollars in the Chicago Park District; it now undertakes policy studies on public trust issues, develops new pilot programs such as the after-school program, and organizes and sponsors workshops, forums, tours, and symposia; and

WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks provides educational and technical assistance to park advisory councils and assists in their efforts to improve their neighborhood park operations; it attends community meetings to lend its assistance to advisory councils; it serves as the fiscal agent for advisory councils lacking tax-exempt status; and it provides grants to advisory councils to encourage local enhancement projects; and

WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks organizes 10,000 volunteers annually in park cleanups, beautification and greening projects; it offers an Adopt-A-Park program; each year it organizes and sponsors the Midwest's largest Earth Day Parks Clean-Up event; and

WHEREAS, The 34th Annual Meeting will feature a presentation by Ed Uhlir, Executive Director of Millennium Park, Inc., discussing Daniel Burnham's park legacy in Chicago; former Alderman Leon Despres of the Fifth Ward will present the Leon Despres Lifetime Commitment to Parks Award to Cindy Mitchell, former Chicago Park District Commissioner and Board Chair of Friends of the Parks; eight individuals and organizations will also be honored for their outstanding work to improve and protect parks and forest preserves: State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie and Alderman Pat Dowell win Legislative Awards, Augie Lehmann of Abbott Park the Individual Award, Willye B. White Park Advisory Council the Advocacy Award, REI the Corporate Award, Don Nash Park Advisory Council the Park Advisory Council Award, and Last 4 Miles Design Team the Community Service Award; and

WHEREAS, Friends of the Parks leads the fight to preserve, protect, improve and promote the use of Chicago parks, forest preserves, recreational areas for the benefit of all neighborhoods and citizens; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Friends of the Parks on the occasion of the organization's 34th Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony, wish them success in the future, and thank them for their continued efforts; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Friends of the Parks as a symbol of our respect and esteem.