093_HR0362
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Joanne Spata has been a familiar face in the
3 Italian-American community for the past 23 years, having
4 donated thousands of hours to community service; she has
5 assisted with the planning and execution of the Columbus Day
6 Parade, the Italian Market on the Daley Plaza, Christmas
7 Around the World at the Field Museum, Villa Day, Festa di
8 Tutti Santi, countless St. Joseph Tables, and the former
9 Festa Italiana when it was held on Navy Pier; and
10 WHEREAS, Ms. Spata is a past President of the Women's
11 Division of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans,
12 past President of the Young Adult Division of the J.C.C.I.A.,
13 and past President of the Italian Singles' Club of Chicago;
14 she was also not only the youngest President of the Villa
15 Scalabrini home for the Aged Volunteers, but the first to
16 preside over both their Men's League and Ladies' Auxiliary;
17 and
18 WHEREAS, Ms. Spata is a past Chairperson of the Italian
19 Heritage Ball and Cotillion, the J.C.C.I.A. Women's Division
20 Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show, the John Fischetti
21 Scholarship, and more than a dozen other events benefitting
22 the Italian-American Community, many of which she continues
23 to participate in today; over the years she has been a member
24 and whole-hearted supporter of the Human Relations Committee
25 of the J.C.C.I.A., the Italian Cultural Center, and Friends
26 for Alzheimer's; and
27 WHEREAS, To name just a couple of the honors Joanne is
28 most proud of having received, she is a past recipient of the
29 prestigious David Award presented by the Italo-American
30 National Union and The Silent Benefactor Award presented by
31 the Board of Directors of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii;
32 she also has been listed in the Congressional Record for her
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1 involvement with the planning committee of the Columbus Day
2 Parade; and
3 WHEREAS, From 1994-1999, Ms. Spata was the Executive
4 Director of The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, the oldest
5 continuing Italian Catholic Church in the City of Chicago;
6 although she is now the Business Manager for St. John Brebeuf
7 Parish, she is still an active member of Pompeii's Board of
8 Directors and oversees the Italian-American Community's
9 Columbus Day kick-off celebration of the Eucharist at the
10 Shrine each year; on Columbus Day 2002, Joanne also
11 co-anchored the broadcast of the parade on CBS Channel 2 with
12 MaryAnn Childers, Antonio Mora, and Vince Gerasole; and
13 WHEREAS, At St. John Brebeuf Church, she founded an
14 annual St. Joseph Table; this event has served to not only
15 spread an important institution in Italian Culture to the
16 parishioners and school children, but it has also raised
17 thousands of dollars, which are used to benefit children who
18 are in need of tuition assistance; and
19 WHEREAS, On January 23, 2003, she attained a long aspired
20 goal as she was inaugurated as the first woman President, in
21 the fifty-one year history, of the Joint Civic Committee of
22 Italian-Americans Umbrella Organization; her vision for the
23 organization is to expand its membership, modernize its
24 systems and raise its profile for generations to come;
25 therefore, be it
26 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
27 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
28 we honor and thank Joanne Spata for all of her hard work and
29 dedication on behalf of the Italian-American community; and
30 be it further
31 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
32 presented to Joanne Spata as an expression of our respect and
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1 esteem.