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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, on February 24, 2007, Big Brothers Big Sisters of |
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North Texas celebrated its 80th anniversary; |
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WHEREAS, because of the dream of Ms. Jessie A. White, a young |
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probation officer of the Dallas Juvenile Court, who was distraught |
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at the future that awaited the boys filing through the court system, |
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a new organization was formed in Dallas, Texas; |
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WHEREAS, Ms. White believed that the boys passing through the |
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Juvenile Courts needed a friend that each boy could count on, who |
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can give him the feeling that someone is especially interested in |
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him; |
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WHEREAS, the Reverend J.J. Burnett, a Methodist minister, |
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became the first president of the Dallas Big Brothers and was joined |
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by 75 Dallas businessmen who had stepped forward as Big Brothers to |
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boys throughout the city; |
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WHEREAS, in 1932, the County Boys' Parental Home and School |
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was opened to provide a home to boys convicted through the Juvenile |
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Courts but not meeting the requirements for reform school, and in |
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1939, Camp Tammi Babi (Comanche words for Little Brother) opened in |
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Cedar Hill to provide Little Brothers a structured summer |
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environment away from the busy city; |
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WHEREAS, the Melba Theatre on Elm Street in Dallas hosted |
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Saturday morning Big Brother programs which featured visits by |
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Popeye the Sailor and Baby Rose Marie, and motion pictures |
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including "Joe Palooka" featuring Jimmy Durante and "The Lone |
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Cowboy" featuring Jackie Cooper; |
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WHEREAS, of the boys and men involved with the organization |
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in early 1942, approximately 100 Big Brothers and 64 Little |
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Brothers were reported on active military duty by the end of that |
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year; |
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WHEREAS, as the Dallas agency continued to expand, other |
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regions around the city launched their own agencies to serve the |
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youth of their communities: Fort Worth initiated their Big Brothers |
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program in 1939, Arlington in 1969, Denton County in 1975, Paris in |
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1978, and Grayson County in 1996; and |
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WHEREAS, in 2003, through the leadership of newly appointed |
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CEO Charles Pierson and the separate boards of Arlington & |
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Mansfield, Dallas and Fort Worth, the creation of Big Brothers Big |
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Sisters of North Texas was accomplished. |
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RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorates Big Brothers Big Sisters of North |
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Texas' 80th anniversary; and recognizes and celebrates the |
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contributions of Big Brothers Big Sisters North Texas to the people |
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of North Texas. |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for Big |
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Brothers Big Sisters North Texas as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |