HR1173 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1173 LRB094 20243 HSS 58157 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Mr. James Maloney, an Illinois resident, will receive the Iowa Governor's Award for Volunteerism from Iowa Governor Vilsack in May; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Maloney was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was still a baby; he began attending school when he was three and continued through the special education program offered by Black Hawk Area Special Education, graduating from Rock Island High School in 1998; he was the poster child for the Cerebral Palsy Telethon in 1985 and attended many of the programs offered by that agency; and

WHEREAS, Even before graduating from high school, he began volunteering; while in high school, he worked with Crime Stoppers and United Cerebral Palsy; he would continue this throughout the summer giving 7 to 8 hours a day; and

WHEREAS, Following graduation, he enrolled at Blackhawk College; he graduated four years later and continued his volunteer work at UCP and also took on a commitment to Student Government while in college; during his last year at Blackhawk, he was the Student Representative to the Board of Directors; it was while attending Blackhawk that Mr. Maloney first came across the battered women program that is offered by Family Resources; once introduced to this program, he was hooked and has been a faithful volunteer with them as much as he can; he is a Certified Rape Counselor and teaches about dealing with the handicapped each time Family Resources has a new class in domestic abuse; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Maloney will graduate from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in May and spends each day of his vacation and spring and fall breaks volunteering at the domestic violence shelter in Davenport, Iowa, traveling back and forth at his own expense; most of his time is spent answering the crisis line; he averages between 50 and 70 hours a week volunteering when he is not in school; and

WHEREAS, While in school at SIUC, Jim was involved with the crisis line they had there, until it was moved out of the area and then started working with the local police; he is always looking for more ways to help others; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Mr. James Maloney on being honored with the Iowa Governor's Award for Volunteerism, and we thank him for the countless hours he has spent helping others; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Maloney as an expression of our esteem and gratitude.