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90_HR0530
LRB9012228MWpcB
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, For many years, the members of this body have
3 taken interest and pride in the participants in the annual
4 athletic events of the Illinois Special Olympics program; and
5 WHEREAS, The sense of accomplishment these Special
6 Olympians derive from their participation is a source of joy
7 for themselves and their families and friends, and we hope
8 the opportunity to achieve that sense of accomplishment is
9 available equally to Special Olympians throughout the State;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, Illinois Special Olympic events are frequently
12 held at publicly-funded schools throughout the State with the
13 participation and coordination of local and State law
14 enforcement personnel, and, in the past, the Illinois Special
15 Olympics organization received State appropriations derived
16 from an Illinois income tax check-off; and
17 WHEREAS, Recently, the Eastern Prairie Special Olympics
18 games, a district qualifying event for participation in the
19 statewide Special Olympics games, were cancelled due to rain
20 and no alternate date was substituted; and
21 WHEREAS, Subsequently, Special Olympians from the eastern
22 district were chosen to advance to the statewide event by
23 random selection of names from among those eligible, a
24 procedure that has left many eastern district Special
25 Olympians and their families unhappy and dissatisfied; and
26 WHEREAS, The Illinois Special Olympics organization did
27 not address this situation, for it has failed to draft or
28 implement an appropriate mechanism in this case; therefore be
29 it
30 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
31 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that on
-2- LRB9012228MWpcB
1 behalf of the Special Olympians and supportive citizens of
2 this State, we urge the Illinois Special Olympics
3 organization to reconsider the method by which it has
4 advanced eastern district Special Olympians to its statewide
5 event, recognizing that the random selection has deprived
6 many would-be participants of the culmination of their year's
7 efforts; without in so doing preventing those who have been
8 selected from realizing their expectations; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That we also urge the Illinois Special Olympics
10 organization and the United States Special Olympics
11 organization to address the lack of adequate procedures in
12 the face of possible future cancellations of qualifying
13 events; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15 presented to the Illinois and United States Special Olympics
16 organizations.