HR1066 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1066 LRB094 20004 HSS 57479 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Margaret McGlynn, esteemed resident of Belleville and a senior at Althoff Catholic High School, has achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service by being named one of the top two youth volunteers in Illinois and a recipient of the 2006 Prudential Spirit of Community Award; and

WHEREAS, This prestigious award, presented by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, honors young volunteers across America who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to serving their communities; as a State Honoree, Ms. McGlynn will receive a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion, and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a series of national recognition events; and

WHEREAS, Ms. McGlynn helped create a teen mentoring program that has provided friendship, support, and positive role models over the past three years for more than 200 severely abused and neglected children in a local transitional residence; in a passionate effort to ease the sadness in the young lives at the Don Bosco Children's Center, she and her sister decided to recruit high school volunteers to spend time with the kids and hopefully help to heal their emotional wounds; and

WHEREAS, After filling out long government forms and attending many meetings and orientation sessions on child abuse, Ms. McGlynn and her sister began looking for mentors, but had difficulty finding any; they encountered much prejudice among their peers toward the children at Don Bosco; eventually the sisters were able to persuade several schoolmates to join them, and the number of mentors has increased to more than 24; the high school students play games with the young children, tutor and read to them, take them on field trips, and often just talk or listen to them; and

WHEREAS, Ms. McGlynn also collects clothing, books, toys, and bicycles for the Don Bosco residents and keeps in touch with the children she mentors long after they leave the facility; and

WHEREAS, The success of the State of Illinois, the strength of our communities, and the overall vitality of American society depends, in great measure, upon the dedication of young people like Ms. McGlynn who use their considerable talents and resources to serve others; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate and honor Margaret McGlynn for being a recipient of a Prudential Spirit of Community Award, and we recognize her outstanding record of volunteer service, peer leadership, and community spirit; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Margaret McGlynn as a token of our respect and esteem and with our best wishes for her continued success and happiness.