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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Rebecca Powers, founder of Impact Austin, retired as |
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executive director of the noteworthy philanthropic organization in |
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January 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2003, Ms. Powers established Impact Austin for |
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women seeking to transform lives in the community through targeted, |
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lifelong giving; within six months, she had recruited 126 women to |
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join the organization, and the membership has since grown to more |
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than 500; over the past eight years, Impact Austin has awarded over |
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$3 million to worthy causes in its five focus areas: culture, |
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environment, family, education, and health and wellness; Ms. Powers |
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has also worked to engage the next generation of women in |
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philanthropy through Impact Austin's youth initiative, Girls |
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Giving Grants; formed in 2005 for students in grades 8-12, it has |
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awarded more than $25,000 to community groups; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Ms. Powers earned |
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her bachelor's degree in business administration at the University |
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of Richmond in Virginia; she was employed as a sales representative |
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for IBM for 14 years before settling in Austin with her husband; |
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while her two children were in school, she was active in the PTA and |
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served as president for several years, and she cofounded a women's |
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Bible study group; she has also served on the boards of Trinity |
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Center and the Rotary Club of Austin and is a graduate of Leadership |
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Austin; currently, she serves on the national board of the Jeremiah |
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Program and the alumni board of the University of Richmond; the |
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recipient of a Five Who Care Community Service Award from KVUE-TV, |
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she received a prestigious Women of Distinction award from the Girl |
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Scouts of Central Texas in 2010 and was selected by Concordia |
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University as its 2011 Excellence in Leadership Gala honoree; and |
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WHEREAS, Although she has handed over day-to-day |
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responsibilities for Impact Austin, Rebecca Powers continues to |
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share her wisdom and experience with the organization, and she is |
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providing guidance to groups seeking to replicate the Impact Austin |
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model in other communities around the country; her visionary |
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leadership has made a lasting, positive difference in the lives of |
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countless Austin residents, and as she embarks on this next |
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exciting chapter in her life, it is indeed fitting to honor her for |
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her remarkable contributions; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Rebecca Powers for her many exceptional |
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accomplishments as founder and executive director of Impact Austin |
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and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success in all |
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her endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Powers as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Strama |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2610 was adopted by the House on May |
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30, 2011, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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