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.