By Naishtat H.R. No. 540 77R9305 MW-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, On March 16, 2001, Wheatsville Co-op of Austin marks 1-2 its 25th anniversary, and this noteworthy occasion is truly 1-3 deserving of special legislative recognition; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Wheatsville Co-op was founded with $13,000 of 1-5 start-up capital raised from a ZZ Top concert sponsored by the UT 1-6 Students Association, and it took its name from the 1860s 1-7 Austin-area freedom town called Wheatville; in the beginning, 1-8 volunteers performed the store's daily operations and adhered to 1-9 "Old Austin" pro-community ideals, which have always remained its 1-10 driving force; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Since its opening on March 16, 1976, Wheatsville 1-12 Co-op has been at the forefront of the natural foods industry, 1-13 making various organic food products readily available to the 1-14 Austin public while promoting its ideals of community control, 1-15 social action, and environmental responsibility; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Operating under a system of democratic and local 1-17 control, Wheatsville Co-op also benefits the Austin community by 1-18 supporting area businesses and food producers, many of whom got 1-19 their start on the Wheatsville shelves; moreover, the store's 1-20 profits remain within the Austin economy; and 1-21 WHEREAS, The only retail consumer food co-op in Texas, 1-22 Wheatsville Co-op was one of the first to become a certified 1-23 organic retailer by the Texas Department of Agriculture; with 1-24 present-day annual sales totaling almost $4 million and membership 2-1 exceeding 4,000 people, this exceptional grocery store remains an 2-2 invaluable member of the natural foods industry and of the local 2-3 economy; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The 25th anniversary of Wheatsville Co-op is an 2-5 important milestone for this successful cooperative representing 2-6 the admirable standards of social justice and nature's goodness 2-7 long shared by many of Austin's fine citizens; now, therefore, be 2-8 it 2-9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas 2-10 Legislature hereby honor Wheatsville Co-op of Austin on its 25th 2-11 anniversary and extend sincere best wishes for continued success; 2-12 and, be it further 2-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-14 prepared for Wheatsville Co-op as an expression of high regard by 2-15 the Texas House of Representatives.