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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate Deanna Witzel on
4 the occasion of being named as the Danville 2008 AMBUCS First
5 Citizen; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The AMBUCS national service club is dedicated to
7 the creation of opportunities for independence for people with
8 disabilities, especially children; every year, the Danville
9 chapter of AMBUCS gives its First Citizen award to a local
10 person who has contributed significantly to their community,
11 either personally or professionally; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel and her husband, Don Witzel, are
13 co-owners of two McDonald's franchises in the City of Danville,
14 one franchise in the City of Hoopeston, one franchise in the
15 Village of Oakwood, and one franchise in the City of
16 Georgetown; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel was selected from 10 candidates to
18 be the 2008 AMBUCS First Citizen; she and her husband have
19 donated much of their time and effort to helping children in
20 need; together, through the Ronald McDonald Children's
21 Charities, they have helped return tens of thousands of dollars
22 to projects in their community, including more than $50,000 for

 

 

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1 AMBUCS playgrounds at Winter and Lincoln Parks and a new
2 "Sprayground" at Garfield Park in Danville, nearly $50,000 for
3 in-school, anti-drug programs run by the Fellowship of
4 Christian Athletes, more than $13,000 for youth-sized exercise
5 equipment at the Danville Family YMCA, and more than $10,000
6 for professional "child-friendly" murals in the Danville
7 hospital's emergency room and pediatrics unit; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel has also helped organize numerous
9 community events, such as McPrincipal's Night and McPack the
10 Place, which have raised money for Danville, Hoopeston,
11 Oakwood, and Georgetown-Ridge Farm schools; she has organized
12 restaurant-based campaigns that have benefited youth
13 organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big
14 Sisters, local cancer efforts, and independent fundraising
15 efforts for children in need; as president of the Danville High
16 School's choral music boosters, she has helped raise $25,000
17 for the show choir and for the jazz band's trip to New York
18 City, as well as serving in numerous other capacities with the
19 group; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel and her husband have been major
21 sponsors for events such as the Festival of Trees and Festival
22 of Tees, which have raised money for various hospital
23 foundation programs; they personally donated $25,000 to help
24 kick-start a community-based fundraiser for amenities at

 

 

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1 Danville High School's new track; they have also given away
2 free meal coupons as rewards for students, orange drinks to
3 non-profit organizations, and cups of coffee to kids at the
4 Festival of Trees' Polar Express event; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel and her husband have two children,
6 Rob, an Indiana University freshman, and Katie, a Danville High
7 School senior; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Deanna Witzel will receive the AMBUCS First
9 Citizen award at a banquet in her honor on April 30, 2008 at
10 the Days Inn in Danville; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Deanna and Don Witzel's tireless volunteerism and
12 energetic approach to helping children in need serves as a
13 model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of
14 the State of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17 congratulate Deanna Witzel on the occasion of being named as
18 the Danville 2008 AMBUCS First Citizen and wish her continued
19 success and happiness in the future; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21 presented to Deanna Witzel as a symbol of our esteem and

 

 

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1 respect.