By:  Hunter                                                       H.R. No. 977



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, On September 26, 2002, Governor Rick Perry issued 
Executive Order RP19 in which the Governor noted that donating 
blood provides a lifesaving service to patients with cancer, burns, 
transplants, and other surgeries and encouraged each state agency 
in Texas to allow their employees to take one hour of compensatory 
or vacation time to donate blood to address this current shortage; 
and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Tim Flynn, State Capital Nurse, in partnership 
with The State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance (STAR) Day 
Foundation has announced plans to coordinate and sponsor THE GREAT 
TEXAS BLOOD DONOR ROUNDUP at the State Capitol on Thursday, May 22, 
2003 at the Robert E. Johnson Building at Room #3 from 9am till 3pm 
to provide an opportunity for all elected individuals, State 
Capitol legislative office employees and employees of State Capitol 
agencies to donate a pint of blood as a STAR DAY birthday present 
for our state for Texas children in need; and
	WHEREAS, Noting that the State of Texas Anniversary 
Remembrance (STAR) Day bill (SB-1656) was passed by the 76th State 
of Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor George W. Bush 
on June 18, 1999 and stated that all Texas public schools and other 
organizations shall celebrate the birthday of the State of Texas on 
the 19th of February each year with appropriate and patriotic 
programs to inspire a greater appreciation for the history of our 
state; and
	WHEREAS, THE GREAT TEXAS BLOOD DONOR ROUNDUP has been 
organized and established by The State of Texas Anniversary 
Remembrance (STAR) Day Foundation as an appropriate and patriotic 
annual statewide program by which Texas public schools and other 
organizations may sponsor as one of the ways and means of 
celebrating the birthday of the great State of Texas each year; and
	WHEREAS, The State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance (STAR) 
Day Foundation is inviting all the nearly 900,000 students in the 
6th, 7th and 8th grades of Texas public schools to volunteer and 
donate their time as their annual STAR DAY student birthday present 
for our state to help ROUNDUP their parents, brothers and sisters of 
age, relatives, school teachers, staff, administrators, school 
district board of trustee members and adults in their school's 
service area to donate a pint of blood for Texas children in need at 
a school ROUNDUP event by signing a STUDENT ROUNDUP PLEDGE letter 
approved by parents in which the volunteer students pledge to read 
four (4) books and complete eight (8) hours of public service work 
in an after-school setting to challenge and motivate an adult to 
donate a pint of blood for Texas children; and
	WHEREAS, The State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance (STAR) 
Day Foundation shall commemorate the volunteer service partnership 
in education between a student and blood donor by donating one book 
sponsored by Texas families, businesses and organizations in the 
name of the participating school, student, blood donor and book 
sponsor to encourage and inspire students to make achievements in 
reading and service in an after-school program as their STAR DAY 
student birthday presents for our state where each book features 
the life and times of a past pioneer and leader of the State of Texas 
approved by their school librarian in collaboration with their 
school's Texas and United States history teachers; and
	WHEREAS, The STAR DAY Foundation in partnership with 
volunteer students and adults from 6th, 7th and 8th grade Texas 
public schools in El Paso, Grimes, and Galveston Counties have 
already coordinated and sponsored ten (10) ROUNDUP events at middle 
schools, the University of Texas at El Paso, at County Courthouses, 
American Legion Posts and Fort Bliss in 2003 for Texas children in 
need for benefit of the Shriners Childrens Burn Center Hospital in 
Galveston County; and
	WHEREAS, THE GREAT TEXAS BLOOD DONOR ROUNDUP provides an 
appropriate and patriotic opportunity for all eligible adults at 
the State Capitol to donate a pint of blood to Texas children in 
need as a STAR DAY birthday present for our state; now, therefore, 
be it
	RESOLVED, That the 78th Legislature of the State of Texas 
hereby recognize May 22, 2003, as THE GREAT TEXAS BLOOD DONOR 
ROUNDUP DAY at the State Capitol.