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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Carolyn Hutchinson, a respected community leader |
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whose evangelism and charitable endeavors touched the lives of many |
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individuals in the Dallas area, passed away on October 8, 2006; and |
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WHEREAS, The founder and president of Carolyn Hutchinson |
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Ministries, Ms. Hutchinson was an ordained minister and a board |
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certified belief therapist; she launched her first project, the |
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Healing Hands of Jesus resource center, in 1997, in order to offer |
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those in need "a hand up, not a handout"; and |
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WHEREAS, This ministry has established a food pantry and |
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works with other groups to provide clothing, counseling, and job |
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and life-skills training to individuals in the Dallas/Fort Worth |
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Metroplex; among those who have collaborated with the organization |
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or lent it support are Exodus Ministries, Esther's House, Family |
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Gateway, and Rhema Ranch; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, Ms. Hutchinson oversaw the presentation |
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of an educational conference titled Grooming for Success/Becoming |
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Whole; with an annual attendance ranging from 50 to 70 persons, the |
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conference is designed to teach participants how to communicate |
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their thoughts and feelings effectively, how to form and maintain |
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healthy relationships, and how to deal with stress and anger in a |
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constructive manner, as well as how to create and live on a budget |
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and how to achieve a healthier lifestyle; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Hutchinson's most ambitious project was the |
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development of the Deborah/Joshua House, a facility that will |
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provide transitional housing for women between the ages of 18 and |
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63; among those targeted are ex-offenders, who are unable to access |
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certain social services and who are often turned away by |
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prospective landlords; and |
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WHEREAS, The Deborah/Joshua program will give such women a |
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genuine chance to turn their lives around, both through counseling |
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and through training in the basic skills that make it possible to |
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live with dignity as an independent, productive citizen; program |
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staff and volunteers will continue to mentor clients after their |
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graduation; and |
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WHEREAS, Carolyn Hutchinson was born in Nacogdoches on |
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February 10, 1945, and was an alumna of E. J. Campbell High School, |
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Mountain View College, and Christ for the Nations Institute; she |
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resided in DeSoto and attended Hillcrest Church in Dallas, where |
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she served as a valued member of the Women's Board; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply moved by the suffering of those on the |
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margins of society, Carolyn Hutchinson made a real difference in |
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the lives of innumerable women, men, and children, and her ministry |
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has been a source of deep inspiration to all who worked with her; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Carolyn Hutchinson |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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daughters and sons-in-law, Judith LaGay and Anthony Walker, |
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Amalaneze Londe and Michael Herron, and Carolyn Denise Mosley; to |
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her son and daughter-in-law, Virgil Lee White, Jr., and Karen |
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White; to her mother, Mary Russaw; to her sister and |
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brother-in-law, Christine and Jerry Harris; to her brother, Craig |
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Brown; to her six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and to |
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her other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas House |
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of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Carolyn |
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Hutchinson. |