1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 469 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great 1-4 pleasure in recognizing Myrna J. Deckert for being named recipient 1-5 of the 1997 Distinguished Service Award by the Rotary Club of 1-6 El Paso; and 1-7 WHEREAS, A longtime resident of El Paso, Mrs. Deckert was born 1-8 in McPherson, Kansas, and raised in California; she married 1-9 Ray Deckert, and they moved to El Paso when they were newly 1-10 married; and 1-11 WHEREAS, After attending college in both El Paso and 1-12 California, she earned her master's degree in management; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Having been director of the teen department of 1-14 the Young Women's Christian Association for six years, Myrna was 1-15 promoted to assistant director; in 1970, she became director of the 1-16 Young Women's Christian Association and currently fills that post; 1-17 and 1-18 WHEREAS, Since she has been directing the organization, the 1-19 Young Women's Christian Association has expanded its budget from 1-20 $100,000 to over 19 million; the number of employees has increased 1-21 from 20 to about 700; and 1-22 WHEREAS, The property of the Young Women's Christian 1-23 Association has grown from a 50-year-old building to eight 2-1 properties with branches; and 2-2 WHEREAS, Mrs. Deckert has built a board of directors that has 2-3 encouraged and supported her and of which El Paso can be proud; and 2-4 WHEREAS, Many of the improvements Mrs. Deckert has initiated 2-5 include counseling for children whose parents are divorcing, 2-6 consumer credit counseling services, a transitional living center 2-7 for homeless women and their children, and preschool and 2-8 after-school care for schoolchildren; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Now the largest and most successful Young Women's 2-10 Christian Association in the United States, the El Paso branch 2-11 can attribute its success to its superb director; and 2-12 WHEREAS, Highly regarded by the community, Myrna Deckert 2-13 has been an active participant and is a director of Texas 2-14 Commerce Bank, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Medical 2-15 Center-East, and chair of the Strategic Directions Committee of the 2-16 Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services; and 2-17 WHEREAS, The winner of numerous honors and awards, she was 2-18 given the Community Service Award of Chapter 617 of the League 2-19 of United Latin American Citizens in 1980, won the Volunteer 2-20 Service Award given by the Volunteer Bureau in 1984, was designated 2-21 recipient of the Women Helping Women Regional Award by Soroptimist 2-22 International in 1989, was named Executive Director of the Year 2-23 by the National Association of YWCA Executives in 1990, and was 2-24 inducted into the El Paso County Historical Society Hall of Fame 2-25 in 1995; and 3-1 WHEREAS, The citizens of El Paso and the State of Texas have 3-2 greatly benefitted from the innumerable efforts of Mrs. Deckert, 3-3 and she is certainly worthy of legislative recognition; now, 3-4 therefore, be it 3-5 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-6 75th Legislature, hereby congratulate Myrna J. Deckert on 3-7 being named recipient of the 1997 Distinguished Service Award 3-8 by the Rotary Club of El Paso; and, be it further 3-9 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her 3-10 as an expression of the high regard of the Texas Senate. 3-11 Shapleigh 3-12 ______________________________________ 3-13 President of the Senate 3-14 I hereby certify that the above 3-15 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-16 on April 9, 1997. 3-17 ______________________________________ 3-18 Secretary of the Senate 3-19 ______________________________________ 3-20 Member, Texas Senate