1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 404 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is proud to recognize 1-4 the Denton State School for its notable contributions to the citizens 1-5 of Texas throughout the past four decades; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Established in 1960 by the 55th Texas Legislature, 1-7 Denton State School opened its doors in July, 1960, and within a 1-8 year, the facility had over 1,700 residents; and 1-9 WHEREAS, Today, approximately 686 individuals live in the 1-10 residential apartments and homes at the facility, which operates 1-11 under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Mental Health 1-12 and Mental Retardation; the school employs nearly 1,600 staff 1-13 members and has an average budget of over $37 million; and 1-14 WHEREAS, In the late 1950s, when the Denton Chamber of Commerce 1-15 learned that a facility for persons with mental retardation was going 1-16 to be built in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, community leaders met with 1-17 officials in Austin to ask that the facility be placed in Denton; the 1-18 state agreed to receive from the citizens 200 acres of land located 1-19 four miles south of Denton, with the stipulation that a facility to 1-20 serve persons with mental retardation be built there; and 1-21 WHEREAS, The same year the school opened, the Denton State 1-22 School Volunteer Council was established to enrich the lives of 1-23 those individuals with developmental disabilities who live in 2-1 North Texas; and 2-2 WHEREAS, The charitable organization provides things that are 2-3 not funded by the state; as a result of donations, a swimming pool, 2-4 sidewalks, a park, vocational workshop, wheelchair vans, furnishings, 2-5 and Christmas and birthday gifts have been given to the school; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Working diligently to meet the needs of the school's 2-7 residents, the volunteer council recently raised $550,000 in 2-8 donations to build the North Texas Physical Management Center on 2-9 the school campus; and 2-10 WHEREAS, In 1986, the Denton State School Family Association 2-11 was reorganized and a centralized structure was established to 2-12 allow meetings of family members from all residential areas in 2-13 one central location; and 2-14 WHEREAS, The family association works with the school 2-15 administrative staff to increase public awareness of the facility 2-16 and its services and to offer support to the volunteer council in 2-17 their fundraising activities to assist the family; now, therefore, 2-18 be it 2-19 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 2-20 75th Legislature, hereby express its gratitude to the Denton 2-21 State School, the Denton State School Family Association, and the 2-22 Denton State School Volunteer Council for their exceptional work to 2-23 enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities; 2-24 and, be it further 2-25 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be presented to this 3-1 distinguished group as an expression of the high regard of the 3-2 Texas Senate. 3-3 Nelson 3-4 Sibley 3-5 Haywood 3-6 ______________________________________ 3-7 President of the Senate 3-8 I hereby certify that the above 3-9 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-10 on March 26, 1997. 3-11 ______________________________________ 3-12 Secretary of the Senate 3-13 ______________________________________ 3-14 Member, Texas Senate 3-15 ______________________________________ 3-16 Member, Texas Senate 3-17 ______________________________________ 3-18 Member, Texas Senate