By: Cain S.C.R. No. 46 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, James R. "Bobby" Evans and Billy L. Black had long 1-2 and outstanding careers with the Texas Department of 1-3 Transportation, serving the people of Texas with 40 years and 32 1-4 years of service, respectively; and 1-5 WHEREAS, As district engineer and public affairs officer in 1-6 the department's Tyler District, Mr. Evans and Mr. Black were 1-7 inspired to create a program for public involvement, allowing 1-8 Texans to demonstrate stewardship of public lands and sending a 1-9 consistent message to motorists about preventing litter; and 1-10 WHEREAS, Members of the Tyler Civitan Club took the challenge 1-11 issued by Mr. Evans and Mr. Black and agreed to adopt a section of 1-12 United States Highway 69 just north of Tyler, volunteering their 1-13 time and energy for the arduous task of cleaning the litter from 1-14 the highway, and in such a manner demonstrating the spirit of 1-15 volunteerism and pride so important to Texans; and 1-16 WHEREAS, On March 9, 1985, the Tyler Civitan Club became the 1-17 world's first Adopt-a-Highway group, setting in motion an 1-18 extraordinary private-public partnership that benefits every 1-19 citizen by cleaning and beautifying roads; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In addition to instilling pride in the community, 1-21 the Adopt-a-Highway program significantly reduces litter cleanup 1-22 costs thereby saving taxpayers' money; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The Adopt-a-Highway program rapidly spread 1-24 throughout the Lone Star State and continued to grow so that 2-1 presently more than one million volunteers in 48 states, Puerto 2-2 Rico, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia participate in 2-3 Adopt-a-Highway programs, and representatives from Japan, Great 2-4 Britain, and South Africa have visited Texas with an express 2-5 interest in the program; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Those states with Adopt-a-Highway programs have 2-7 selected March 9 as International Adopt-a-Highway Day in honor and 2-8 recognition of the program's genesis in Tyler, Texas, and have 2-9 invited the participation of other countries with similar programs 2-10 in marking this important day; now, therefore, be it 2-11 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-12 hereby declare March 9, 1999, as International Adopt-a-Highway Day 2-13 in the State of Texas; and, be it further 2-14 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-15 prepared for Bobby Evans, Billy Black, and the Tyler Civitan Club 2-16 as an expression of highest regard from the Texas Legislature.