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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor Lillian Perry for her hard
4 work and dedication to the people of Aurora; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In the 1950s Lillian Perry made her way north from
6 Dawson, Georgia; she settled in Aurora, where she worked and
7 raised her daughter Darlene Perry; after moving, Lillian began
8 a life-long commitment to service and advocacy on behalf of
9 justice, equality, dignity, integration, and civil rights, she
10 is a product of the Civil Rights Movement; and
 
11     WHEREAS, In 1978, her commitment to government and
12 community service led her to the position of special assistant
13 to Aurora's late Honorable Mayor Hill; during her tenure as
14 special assistant, she encouraged Mayor Hill to start a Human
15 Service Department; Lillian Perry was actively involved in
16 efforts that led to the creation of the Kane County Health
17 Department; and
 
18     WHEREAS, In 1978, funds became available for neighborhood
19 street improvement; the program was called the Community
20 Development Block Fund, which was very important to Lillian's
21 community because residents' homes had been flooding with water
22 and these funds helped eliminate problems related to flooding;

 

 

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1 the project called for the homeowners to invest some of their
2 own money into the project; Ms. Perry armed herself with a pen
3 and application forms and went door to door in the neighborhood
4 in an effort to make the program a reality; it succeeded
5 because of her efforts and hard work; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Lillian has committed her time, energy, and
7 experience to create a better community for all the citizens of
8 Aurora, especially minority and senior citizens, through
9 ongoing political and social activities; countless Aurora
10 citizens have been aided by projects and programs which were
11 created and supported by Lillian's boundless spirit, such as
12 the Citizens for Neighborhood Improvement, Blacks in Politics,
13 Aurora Youth Job Program, and the East Side Special Service
14 Area; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Lillian retired from Sealmaster Bearing after
16 working there for 30 years; in her constant quest for
17 knowledge, she attended classes at Waubonsee Community College
18 and later attended Roosevelt University; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Lillian can be found on a daily basis addressing
20 issues that affect the African-American community, engaging
21 local, county, and State officials in conversation and action;
22 this drive and commitment led to her position at State
23 Representative Linda Chapa LaVia's office as a Senior Citizen

 

 

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1 and African American liaison; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Ms. Perry has been giving back to the community
3 for 48 years; because of this commitment she has been the
4 recipient of a number of awards, including: a Certificate of
5 Special Recognition from the City of Aurora, a Community
6 Service Award from Gayles Memorial Baptist Church, a
7 Certificate of Achievement from Roosevelt University's Labor
8 Education Program, recognition from Women of Distinction from
9 the YWCA, and an award from the Friends of Marie Wilkinson
10 Child Development Center for Distinguished Black Community
11 Leadership; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Lillian Perry has lived a life of achievement and
13 has worked to make Aurora a better place to live; therefore, be
14 it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17 thank Lillian Perry for her dedication and giving to the people
18 of Aurora; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20 presented to Lillian Perry as a symbol of our respect.