HR0781 LRB093 21681 HSS 49348 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the
3 State of Illinois are pleased to congratulate Harold J. Leisch
4 of Danville on being the recipient of the 2004 AMBUCS First
5 Citizen Award; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Mr. Leisch was born in 1913 in a log cabin at the
7 corner of Bowman Avenue and Vorhees Street in Danville; he
8 attended school in Danville, graduating in 1931; he married
9 Norma in 1934 and they have been married for 70 years; they are
10 parents to 3, grandparents to 9, and great-grandparents to 9;
11 and
 
12     WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Leisch was employed at
13 the Newport Munitions Plant; following the war, he was employed
14 at Penry's Furniture Store, then at Leath's Furniture Store;
15 his dedication to his employers kept him employed for many
16 years until he retired in early 1984; he was an outstanding
17 salesman and former customers have high regard for him; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Mr. Leisch and his wife formed a committee in 1982
19 to build the Korean-Vietnam Memorial; in 1988, they were
20 involved in building the World War II Monument, and in 1992,
21 they were involved in the first Women's Memorial built in the
22 United States; he and his wife have been honored by the
23 Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 728 and the American Legion Post
24 210 for their involvement in building the war monuments along
25 Hazel Street in Danville; and
 
26     WHEREAS, Mr. Leisch was awarded the Studs Terkel Humanities
27 Service Award for his efforts to ensure Vermilion County
28 veterans were remembered and honored for their sacrifices; in
29 honor of his work, November 21, 2000 was proclaimed Harold
30 Leisch Day in Danville; and
 

 

 

HR0781 - 2 - LRB093 21681 HSS 49348 r

1     WHEREAS, Mr. Leisch and his wife were involved in saving
2 the former Carnegie Library for the War Museum in Vermilion
3 County and are charter members of the Vermilion County War
4 Museum Society, where Mr. Leisch has served as an elected board
5 member since 1998; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Mr. Leisch is known in the Danville area as "The
7 Can Man"; he and his wife have collected over $180,000 worth of
8 aluminum cans at drop locations that Mr. Leisch built and
9 distributed all over Danville; the money has helped to pay for
10 the 3 monuments, flags for the monuments, and monthly
11 electrical bills; therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
14 congratulate Harold J. Leisch of Danville on being the
15 recipient of the 2004 AMBUCS First Citizen Award; and be it
16 further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to Mr. Leisch as an expression of our deepest respect
19 and esteem.