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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Janice Gabriel of the Mangum Manor neighborhood of |
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Houston has been named the 2010 Northwest Houston Leader of the |
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Year; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1982, The Leader newspaper in Northwest |
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Houston has recognized a local resident whose tireless efforts have |
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significantly benefited the community; the paper solicits |
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nominations for the award from its readers, and a panel of judges |
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who have contributed to Northwest Houston themselves makes the |
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final selection; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Kentucky, Janice Gabriel grew up in |
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Jefferson City, Missouri; in 1959, she moved to the Montrose area of |
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Houston, where she met her future husband, Charles Gabriel, at a |
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young adults club; they were married at St. Anne Catholic Church in |
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1960 and moved to Mangum Manor a few years later; they have lived in |
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the same house on Hialeah Drive for more than 47 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Currently serving her second term as president of |
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the Mangum Manor Civic Club, Mrs. Gabriel has played a leading role |
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in obtaining many neighborhood improvements, including the |
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creation of a jogging trail through the local park and the |
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development of scenic esplanades on Antoine Drive; she has also |
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successfully advocated for the installation of neighborhood |
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entrance signs, new water lines in the older sections of the |
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subdivision, and a wheelchair ramp in Mangum Manor Park; moreover, |
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she initiated the process for a "No Cars in Yards" ordinance, which |
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was approved, and she works closely with the Houston Police |
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Department on crime and property complaints; on any given day, she |
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can be found contributing to her fellow residents through such |
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simple gestures as planting trees and flowers and picking up |
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litter; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic 71-year-old woman spent her career as a |
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teacher at Katherine Smith Elementary School, and she later served |
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as president of the Houston Association of Retired Teachers; she |
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continues to volunteer for a number of organizations, including the |
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Environmental Education Committee of Keep Houston Beautiful, the |
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St. Ambrose Catholic Church Altar Society, the Zeta Mu Chapter of |
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Delta Kappa Gamma Women Educators, which she serves as president, |
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and the Central Northwest Super Neighborhood Council, which she |
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serves as vice president; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of her endeavors, Mrs. Gabriel enjoys the |
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love and support of her husband and her daughters, Charlene Nelson |
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and her husband, Marty, Evelyn Harding and her husband, Steve, and |
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Laura Wadley and her husband, Tim, and Mrs. Gabriel's family |
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further includes four grandchildren, Martin, Danielle, Madeline, |
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and Gabrielle; and |
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WHEREAS, The vitality of a community depends in large measure |
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on the active engagement of its citizens, and Janice Gabriel stands |
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at the forefront of those individuals who are making a positive |
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difference in the world around them through their dedication and |
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leadership; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Janice Gabriel on her selection as |
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the 2010 Northwest Houston Leader of the Year and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Gabriel as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |