| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 129 0089 |
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| 2 | 2 | | House Resolution 311 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Heffner of the 130 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | , Howard of the 129 |
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| 6 | 6 | | th |
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| 7 | 7 | | , Prince of the 132 |
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| 8 | 8 | | nd |
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| 9 | 9 | | , and Myles |
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| 10 | 10 | | of the 126 |
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| 11 | 11 | | th |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 14 | 14 | | Recognizing and commending Coach Andre Lacey and the Paine College golf teams for their |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1 |
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| 16 | 16 | | outstanding achievements and contributions to the growth of collegiate golf and for fostering2 |
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| 17 | 17 | | diversity and inclusion in the sport; and for other purposes.3 |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Coach Andre Lacey, an Augusta native and proud alumnus of Paine College,4 |
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| 19 | 19 | | has established himself as a transformative leader in collegiate golf, building on the legacy5 |
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| 20 | 20 | | of his grandfather, golf legend and Hall of Famer Jim Dent, while forging a path as the only6 |
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| 21 | 21 | | Black PGA Professional in Augusta since 2016; and7 |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, under Coach Lacey's leadership, Paine College's golf teams have made8 |
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| 23 | 23 | | significant strides, achieving four national championship appearances within 18 months,9 |
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| 24 | 24 | | including the Women's NCCAA (October 2023), Women in Golf (April 2023), the Men's10 |
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| 25 | 25 | | NCCAA (2024), and the 2024 Women's NCCAA; and11 |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Coach Lacey's unwavering commitment to excellence has guided the women's12 |
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| 27 | 27 | | golf team to unprecedented milestones during the 2023-2024 season, including winning the13 |
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| 28 | 28 | | Women in Golf National Championship in Katy, Texas; the Stitch Invitational; the Snead14 |
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| 29 | 29 | | State Invitational; and the Paine College Fall Invitational while also earning second place at15 |
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| 30 | 30 | | H. R. 311 |
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| 31 | 31 | | - 1 - 25 LC 129 0089 |
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| 32 | 32 | | the Pointe University Invitational and tying for second place at the NCCAA Championship; |
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| 33 | 33 | | 16 |
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| 34 | 34 | | and17 |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, team members Ashley Michel and Helena Rios have earned All-American18 |
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| 36 | 36 | | honors, becoming the first female All-American golfers in Paine College history,19 |
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| 37 | 37 | | demonstrating exceptional skill and determination; and20 |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, the men's golf team, despite facing challenges, has displayed resilience and21 |
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| 39 | 39 | | growth, advancing to the NCCAA National Championship and implementing initiatives to22 |
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| 40 | 40 | | improve physical well-being and mental toughness, ensuring future success; and23 |
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| 41 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Coach Lacey has been recognized as a trailblazer in the golf community, with24 |
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| 42 | 42 | | accolades including recognition by EPOCH Black History and the Lucy C. Laney Museum25 |
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| 43 | 43 | | of Black History, where his contributions were showcased in a golf exhibit; and26 |
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| 44 | 44 | | WHEREAS, Assistant Coach Rashad Wilson, a seasoned PGA professional and 2023 PGA27 |
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| 45 | 45 | | Game Changer Award recipient, has joined the program, bringing unparalleled expertise and28 |
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| 46 | 46 | | further enhancing the value of the Paine College golf family; and29 |
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| 47 | 47 | | WHEREAS, Paine College's golf teams have actively engaged with the community through30 |
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| 48 | 48 | | educational initiatives, volunteering with local organizations, and hosting events such as an31 |
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| 49 | 49 | | Indoor Golf Day for adaptive sports and free golf clinics; and32 |
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| 50 | 50 | | WHEREAS, Coach Lacey and Paine College have proposed the creation of a Golf33 |
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| 51 | 51 | | Community Room on campus to provide state-of-the-art facilities for students and the34 |
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| 52 | 52 | | community, offering Jr. PGA programs, small golf repair services, golf lesson packages, and35 |
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| 53 | 53 | | opportunities for revenue generation; and36 |
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| 54 | 54 | | H. R. 311 |
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| 55 | 55 | | - 2 - 25 LC 129 0089 |
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| 56 | 56 | | WHEREAS, the establishment of the Golf Community Room aligns with Paine College's |
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| 57 | 57 | | 37 |
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| 58 | 58 | | mission to provide holistic education, foster entrepreneurship, and enhance diversity and38 |
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| 59 | 59 | | inclusion in the sport, positioning the college as a leader among HBCUs; and39 |
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| 60 | 60 | | WHEREAS, this innovative programming has the potential to generate significant revenue,40 |
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| 61 | 61 | | attract national attention, and inspire young athletes across Georgia while preserving the rich41 |
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| 62 | 62 | | history of Black golf through the donation of a historic museum collection by Romana42 |
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| 63 | 63 | | Harriet.43 |
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| 64 | 64 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that44 |
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| 65 | 65 | | the members of this body recognize and commend Coach Andre Lacey and the Paine College45 |
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| 66 | 66 | | golf teams for their remarkable achievements, applaud their dedication to fostering diversity46 |
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| 67 | 67 | | and inclusion in collegiate golf, and extend best wishes for continued success.47 |
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| 68 | 68 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body express their support for the48 |
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| 69 | 69 | | proposed Golf Community Room and encourage collaboration with stakeholders to elevate49 |
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| 70 | 70 | | the visibility and impact of these initiatives.50 |
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| 71 | 71 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized51 |
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| 72 | 72 | | and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to52 |
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| 73 | 73 | | Coach Andre Lacey and Paine College.53 |
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| 74 | 74 | | H. R. 311 |
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| 75 | 75 | | - 3 - |
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