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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives wish to congratulate Gary and Debby Stricker | ||||||
| 4 | on the occasion of their retirement from owning and operating | ||||||
| 5 | The Okawville Times, after providing their community with a | ||||||
| 6 | steady source of knowledge and information for half a century; | ||||||
| 7 | and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, The Okawville Times was founded by J.T. Gibbs in | ||||||
| 9 | 1893; the newspaper was then owned by Gary Stricker's uncle | ||||||
| 10 | and aunt, Grover and Leona Brinkman, before his parents, | ||||||
| 11 | Warren and Virginia Stricker, assumed ownership; and | ||||||
| 12 | WHEREAS, Becoming the fourth owners in the 130-year | ||||||
| 13 | history of The Okawville Times, Gary and Debby Stricker took | ||||||
| 14 | control of the family business from Gary's parents after Gary | ||||||
| 15 | completed his military service with the U.S. Air Force, where | ||||||
| 16 | he served as a photographer from 1969 to 1973; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Soon after, Gary and Debby Stricker married on | ||||||
| 18 | May 4, 1973, and Debby proceeded to serve as editor of The | ||||||
| 19 | Okawville Times while also selling real estate; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Gary and Debby Stricker have long been active in | ||||||
| 21 | their community in a number of ways, such as assisting the | ||||||
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| 1 | Okawville Village Library through advertising library events, | ||||||
| 2 | providing ticket printing, and contributing in many other ways | ||||||
| 3 | to aid the library in raising money to buy books for all ages | ||||||
| 4 | and to host programs for students in the local school | ||||||
| 5 | district; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Gary and Debby Stricker have been leaders in | ||||||
| 7 | their field and community, with Gary serving on the board of | ||||||
| 8 | directors of the Illinois Press Association from 2000 to 2011, | ||||||
| 9 | advocating for journalists across the State, and Debby serving | ||||||
| 10 | on the Okawville Village Library Board; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, During their 50 years of leadership and | ||||||
| 12 | management, Gary and Debby Stricker have received numerous | ||||||
| 13 | awards from the Illinois Press Association while operating The | ||||||
| 14 | Okawville Times; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, In retirement, Gary and Debby Stricker have | ||||||
| 16 | expressed plans to spend more time with their children, Kit | ||||||
| 17 | and Shana Stricker, and their grandchildren, Gwen, Grant, | ||||||
| 18 | Natasha, Zane, and Emma; and | ||||||
| 19 | WHEREAS, The Okawville Times has merged with the Nashville | ||||||
| 20 | News to become the Washington County News, ensuring the | ||||||
| 21 | viability of local journalism for years to come; therefore, be | ||||||
| 22 | it | ||||||
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| 1 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 2 | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 3 | we congratulate Gary and Debby Stricker on their retirement | ||||||
| 4 | from owning and operating The Okawville Times, and we commend | ||||||
| 5 | them for their lifetime of service to their community and | ||||||
| 6 | State; and be it further | ||||||
| 7 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 8 | presented to Gary and Debby Stricker as a symbol of our esteem | ||||||
| 9 | and respect. | ||||||