HR1208 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1208 LRB094 20289 HSS 58304 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Ms. Joanne Spata has been named a recipient of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian of the Year Award given by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA); and

WHEREAS, The JCCIA's Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian of the Year Award is presented annually to those whose lives exemplify the virtues of caring, humanity, and good will that were the hallmark of Cardinal Bernardin's tenure as Archbishop of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Spata has been a familiar face in the Italian-American community for the past 25 years and has donated thousands of hours to community service; she has assisted with the planning and execution of the Columbus Day Parade, the Italian Market on the Daley Plaza, Christmas Around the World at the Field Museum, Villa Day, Festa di Tutti Santi (which she founded), countless St. Joseph Tables, and the former Festa Italiana when it was held on Navy Pier; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Spata broke the barrier by being the first woman elected President of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans Congress in 2003, after the JCCIA had been in existence for 50 years; she is also a past President of the Women's Division of the JCCIA, past President of the Young Adult Division of the JCCIA, and past President of the Italian Singles' Club of Chicago; she was not only the youngest President of the Villa Scalabrini home for the Aged Volunteers, but the first to preside over both their Men's League and Ladies' Auxiliary; and

WHEREAS, During her presidency of the JCCIA Congress, she received numerous awards and honors for her accomplishments from Mayor Richard Daley, Cook County Treasurer Marie Pappas, Clerk of the Circuit Court Dorothy Brown, and President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners William Stroger, Jr.; she has been recognized through proclamations issued in both the Illinois House of Representatives and the Senate for her achievements and dedication; she has also been listed in the Congressional Records for her involvement and community support; and

WHEREAS, She is a proud past recipient of the prestigious David Award, "with great expectations in the field of fraternalism", which was presented to her by the Itlo-American National Union, and The Silent Benefactor Award, presented by the Board of Directors of the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii; and

WHEREAS, She is a past two time Chairperson of the Italian Heritage Ball and Cotillion, past Chairperson of the JCCIA Women's Division Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show, the John Fischetti Scholarship, and more than a dozen other events benefiting the Italian-American Community, many of which she continues to participate in today; over the years she has been a member and whole-hearted supporter of the Human Relations Committee of the JCCIA and the Italian Cultural Center; she is a past board member of Casa Italia and an active Board member of the Sicilian American Cultural Association; and

WHEREAS, She was the Executive Director of The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, the oldest continuing Italian Catholic Church in the City of Chicago, from 1994 to 1999, when it was first declared a Shrine and helped to raise more than $2.2 million above their normal income during her tenure there; although she is currently the Business Manager for St. John Brebeuf Parish, she still actively oversees the Italian-American Community's Columbus Day kick-off celebration of the Eucharist at the Shrine each year; she also receives on-air credit from all three of the major television stations, which broadcast the Columbus Day Parade, for her production of the script, which is used by not only all the on-air talent, but by the reviewing stand commentators as well; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ms. Joanne Spata on being a recipient of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian of the Year Award given by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ms. Spata as an expression of our esteem.