1-1                                       1

 1-2                              SENATE RESOLUTION

 1-3           WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is proud to recognize the

 1-4     volunteers from the Senior Companion Program who are visiting

 1-5     the State Capitol on March 13, 1997, to observe the

 1-6     75th Texas Legislature; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, The Senior Companion Program is an integral part

 1-8     of the National Senior Service Corps, one of the three national

 1-9     service initiatives created in 1993 by the Corporation for National

1-10     Service; and

1-11           WHEREAS, Active senior volunteers bring a wealth of

1-12     experience, skills, talents, interests, and creativity that are

1-13     invaluable resources in building a network of individuals who are

1-14     interested in helping other seniors; and

1-15           WHEREAS, These exceptional volunteers are committed to

1-16     sharing their life experience in order to solve critical local

1-17     problems in the areas of education, public safety, human needs,

1-18     and the environment; and

1-19           WHEREAS, Senior companions provide assistance and

1-20     friendship to seniors who have difficulty with daily living

1-21     tasks, thereby helping them to retain their dignity and

1-22     independence; and

1-23           WHEREAS, These devoted men and women aged 55 and over

 2-1     assist older Texans with such duties as paying bills, grocery

 2-2     shopping, and providing transportation to medical appointments;

 2-3     during the first year of the Senior Companion Program, Texans

 2-4     gave more than 8,000 hours of their time; in 1995-1996, they

 2-5     provided more than 500,000 hours of volunteer service; and

 2-6           WHEREAS, As Texans continue to live longer, the need

 2-7     for volunteer assistance in providing care for the elderly will

 2-8     increase dramatically, and the Senior Companion Program is bringing

 2-9     together seniors who are committed to sharing their time and

2-10     abilities with fellow Texans in need; now, therefore, be it

2-11           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

2-12     75th Legislature, hereby  express its deepest gratitude to the

2-13     volunteers in the Senior Companion Program who are visiting the

2-14     Capital City and extend best wishes to them in their future

2-15     endeavors; and, be it further

2-16           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared

2-17     for these distinguished Texans as a memento of their visit to

2-18     the State Capitol.

2-19                                                    Lucio

2-20                                                    Truan

2-21           Armbrister           Galloway            Ogden

2-22           Barrientos           Harris              Patterson

2-23           Bivins               Haywood             Ratliff

2-24           Brown                Lindsay             Shapiro

2-25           Cain                 Luna                Shapleigh

2-26           Carona               Madla               Sibley

2-27           Duncan               Moncrief            Wentworth

2-28           Ellis                Nelson              West

2-29           Fraser               Nixon               Whitmire

2-30           Gallegos                                 Zaffirini

2-31                      Bullock, President of the Senate

2-32                                  ______________________________________

 3-1                                          President of the Senate

 3-2                                       I hereby certify that the above

 3-3                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

 3-4                                  on March 13, 1997.

 3-5                                  ______________________________________

 3-6                                          Secretary of the Senate

 3-7                                  ______________________________________

 3-8                                            Member, Texas Senate

 3-9                                  ______________________________________

3-10                                             Dean of the Senate