81R29798 JH-D

By: Bonnen H.R. No. 2025

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, David Howarth of Lake Jackson has deservedly been honored by the Keep Texas Beautiful organization with its Individual Leadership Award for 2009; and

WHEREAS, The Individual Leadership Award was created to recognize individuals who support the Keep Texas Beautiful mission of empowering Texans through education to take responsibility for enhancing their community's environment; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Howarth has been active in Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful for a decade and has served as its chairman for the past eight years; during that time, he has instituted many educational programs to teach students and residents about the ways that they can help keep their city clean and preserve its natural resources; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Howarth has promoted litter prevention projects, trash tip-off hotlines, and citywide clean-ups, as well as environmental education efforts that are presented during the Enviro Camp in the summer and during the Enviro Fest activities on Earth Day; moreover, he has furthered the group's educational mission by making numerous appearances at events as Charlie Chipper, the Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful mascot, and by involving students, residents, and business people in the production of public service announcements that address litter and recycling; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Howarth has been instrumental in helping Keep Lake Jackson Beautiful win three Governor's Community Achievement Awards totaling more than $265,000; these funds have been used to create the entryway that welcomes visitors to the city and to add landscaping along medians and overpasses; and

WHEREAS, In his tireless efforts to improve the quality of life in the local community, he led the charge to ban smoking in restaurants and public facilities, appearing before the city council for the successful adoption of a no-smoking ordinance; in addition, he worked with the Phi Theta Kappa sorority at Brazosport College to implement a program on cigarette litter; and

WHEREAS, Looking beyond the immediate Lake Jackson area, he joined Keep Brazoria County Beautiful as chairman of the board; through his work with that organization, he has helped to establish the Brazoria County Environmental Center on the Seabreeze Environmental Landfill site; he has also been involved in the national work of Keep America Beautiful as a presenter and conference attendee; and

WHEREAS, This dedicated community leader has also offered his time and talents to many civic and professional groups, including Habitat for Humanity, the BASF Community Advisory Panel, and BACH, an organization supporting children with special needs; further, he has contributed to the work of Mended Hearts as a board member and volunteer, taken part in the Stars on the Brazos Mardi Gras festivities, and used his barbecue and cooking skills to benefit charities and provide meals for city employees and rescue workers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike; and

WHEREAS, In ways large and small, David Howarth has devoted himself to making Lake Jackson and the State of Texas a better place to live and work, and he is indeed deserving of this prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby congratulate David Howarth on his receipt of the 2009 Individual Leadership Award from Keep Texas Beautiful and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his volunteer activities; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Howarth as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.