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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 134
BY REPRESENTATIVES HUTTER, BARROW, CHAMPAGNE, DOERGE, HILL,
ROSALIND JONES, KATZ, LANDRY, NORTON, JANE SMITH, PATRICIA
SMITH, ST. GERMAIN, STIAES, AND THIERRY AND SENATORS BROOME,
CHEEK, DORSEY, DUPLESSIS, JACKSON, MOUNT, PETERSON, AND
QUINN
COMMENDATIONS: Commends Frances B. Bennett of Baton Rouge upon her receipt of
a 2010 Women of Excellence Award from the La. Legislative Women's Caucus
Foundation
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend Frances B. Bennett of Baton Rouge upon her receipt of a 2010 Women of2
Excellence Award from the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus Foundation.3
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to commend Frances B. Bennett upon her receipt of a4
2010 Women of Excellence Award from the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus5
Foundation and to recognize her vital contributions to the citizens of Louisiana as an active6
and dedicated community servant; and7
WHEREAS, born on February 16, 1940, in St. Helena Parish, Mrs. Bennett grew up8
in a large family with four brothers and four sisters and graduated from Greensburg High9
School in 1957 as salutatorian and senior class president; and10
WHEREAS, after graduation, Mrs. Bennett moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where11
she was employed by the Louisiana Insurance Rating Commission, and she continued12
working in the insurance industry with various agencies until her retirement in 1989; and13
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett currently serves on the boards of Brave Heart-Children14
in Need, Friendship Force of Baton Rouge, the Sunshine Foundation, the Mental Health15
Association for Greater Baton Rouge, and the International Hospitality Foundation; and16 HLS 10RS-2469 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett, along with her husband, Charles, was instrumental in1
organizing the Louisiana State Museum Friends, and she is currently serving as its acting2
president; and3
WHEREAS, as a team, Mrs. Bennett and her husband serve as publicity chairpersons4
for the Friendship Force of Baton Rouge, the Mental Health Association for Greater Baton5
Rouge, the International Hospitality Foundation, Brave Heart-Children in Need, and the6
ExxonMobil Tigerland Retiree Club, and the couple also assists with publicity for the7
Women's Council of Greater Baton Rouge; and8
WHEREAS, over the years, Mrs. Bennett has volunteered for more than thirty9
organizations, and since 2001, she and her husband have each volunteered an average of10
between fifteen hundred and eighteen hundred hours per year; and11
WHEREAS, throughout her life, Mrs. Bennett has volunteered with numerous12
organizations, including the Food Bank of Greater Baton Rouge, the American Red Cross,13
Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, the Capital Area United Way, the Cystic Fibrosis,14
Leukemia, and Lymphoma Society, the Jambalaya Festival Association, the Women's15
Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the Around Town TV16
Show, and various other organizations; and17
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett is also a registration and convention host for the Baton18
Rouge Convention and Visitors Bureau; and 19
WHEREAS, in recognition of her accomplishments in volunteering, Mrs. Bennett20
received the 2008 Golden Deeds Award presented by The Advocate and the Inter-Civic21
Council, and in that same year, she was selected as a Louisiana Heroine by the Louisiana22
Association of Non-Profit Organizations; and23
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett and her husband also received the Volunteer Activists24
Award from the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation and the Polaris Award from25
the Greater Baton Rouge Pan-Hellenic Council; and26
WHEREAS, since 2004, Mrs. Bennett and her husband have been honored as Top27
Barrel Buddies for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, and in 2007, they received the28
Presidential Award from the president of the United States, which is awarded to people with29
more than four thousand volunteer hours; and30 HLS 10RS-2469 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett recently celebrated her seventieth birthday and collected1
three hundred forty-five pounds of food for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank from2
friends at her party; and3
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett is a loving wife to her husband, Charles, and a devoted4
mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother to her three children, Cindy Wale, Susan5
Rogers, and Jeff Gros, her nine grandchildren, Jennifer Wale Ramezan, Jeffrey Wale,6
Chelsea Cruse, Jacob Cruse, Anna Gros, Abbie Finch, Angela Finch, Amber Kliesch, and7
Amy Hebert, and her great-grandchild, McKenzie Kliesch; and8
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus Foundation created the9
Women of Excellence Awards to recognize and honor extraordinary women of excellence10
across the state for their outstanding achievements and contributions; and11
WHEREAS, recipients of the Women of Excellence Awards exhibit characteristics12
of integrity and professionalism, personify excellence in their area of specialty, and are13
committed to community service to better society as a whole; and14
WHEREAS, this year, there were seven categories for the Women of Excellence15
Awards: Business, Culinary Arts, Education, Law and Justice, Volunteerism and Civic16
Involvement, Young High School Woman of Excellence, and Young Woman of Excellence;17
and18
WHEREAS, the recipients of the 2010 Women of Excellence Awards are being19
recognized at the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus Foundation's Women of20
Excellence Awards Gala on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, in Baton Rouge; and21
WHEREAS, Frances B. Bennett received a 2010 Women of Excellence Award in the22
category of Volunteerism and Civic Involvement; and23
WHEREAS, Frances B. Bennett merits a sincere and heartfelt measure of24
commendation for her dedication to excellence and her outstanding accomplishments. 25
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby26
commend Frances B. Bennett of Baton Rouge upon her receipt of a 2010 Women of27
Excellence Award from the Louisiana Legislative Women's Caucus Foundation, does hereby28
recognize and record for posterity her singular contributions to the citizens of Louisiana as29
an active and dedicated community servant, and does hereby extend enduring appreciation30 HLS 10RS-2469 ORIGINAL
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for the tremendous honor and pride that she brings to her family, friends, and community,1
the city of Baton Rouge, and the state of Louisiana.2
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted3
to Frances B. Bennett.4
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Hutter HCR No. 134
Commends Frances B. Bennett of Baton Rouge upon her receipt of a 2010 Women of
Excellence Award from the La. Legislative Women's Caucus Foundation.