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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Kitty Tine Baker was honored at the second annual |
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Exemplary Women of Irving High Tea event on November 4, 2012, and |
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that occasion provided a welcome opportunity to acknowledge her |
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myriad contributions to the community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Suriname and raised in Brooklyn, New York, |
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Mrs. Baker worked for 18 years as an on-air host and producer at |
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radio stations in Vermont, New York, and Mississippi before |
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settling in Irving around 1970; after retiring, she began to devote |
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herself to volunteer work, and she has built an impressive record of |
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achievement in the years since; and |
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WHEREAS, Foremost among her initiatives is the Irving Senior |
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Arts Program, which Mrs. Baker founded in 1995; ISAP organizes |
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outings for senior citizens so that they can more easily enjoy |
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plays, concerts, and dance recitals throughout the Dallas-Fort |
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Worth area; as part of its mission, the program secures |
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approximately 3,500 mostly complimentary tickets to live |
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performances each year and arranges transportation to and from the |
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events for the program participants; now serving some 500 people, |
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ISAP also provides opportunities for its members to get involved in |
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projects and fund-raising activities that benefit various arts and |
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community groups; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2002, Mrs. Baker has organized and hosted live |
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entertainment twice a month at the Country Lane Seniors Community |
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in McKinney, where she is affectionately known as "Ms. Kitty" to |
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the grateful residents; in 2012, she expanded the program to |
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include performances in Waxahachie; her other civic contributions |
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have included service as an ambassador for the Greater Irving--Las |
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Colinas Chamber of Commerce and as a member of the board for the |
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Entertainment Series of Irving; Mrs. Baker is also active in the |
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Irving Book Club and the Christian Women's Association; in all her |
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endeavors, she enjoys the love and support of her husband, Leo, to |
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whom she has been married for 35 years, and she takes pride in her |
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four children, eight grandchildren, and seven |
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great-great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Baker's outstanding efforts have been |
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recognized with numerous honors; nominated for the Governor's Award |
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for Volunteerism on three occasions, she was selected as first |
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runner-up in 2000; she received the Irving Parks and Recreation |
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Superstar Award in 1996 and the Irving Convention and Visitor's |
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Bureau High Spirited Citizen Award in 1998, and the Greater |
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Irving--Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce named her Volunteer of the |
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Year in 2009; moreover, her long list of official tributes includes |
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the Irving Woman of the Year accolade and membership in the Irving |
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Women's Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, Kitty Baker has generously shared her time, energy, |
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and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of seniors and to support local |
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civic and charitable groups, and her accomplishments are greatly |
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appreciated by her fellow citizens; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Kitty Tine Baker on her selection |
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as one of the Exemplary Women of Irving and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success in her important work; 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. Baker as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Harper-Brown |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 209 was adopted by the House on |
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February 18, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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