HLS 19RS-1798 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 124
BY REPRESENTATIVE GARY CARTER
COMMENDATIONS: Commends Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III, for his community service and
his work with Son of a Saint to enhance the lives of fatherless boys in New Orleans
1 A RESOLUTION
2To commend Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III, of Son of a Saint for his many contributions and
3 tireless service to his community and the state of Louisiana.
4 WHEREAS, Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III, a graduate of the University of New Orleans
5and son of Bivian Lee, Jr., a former defensive back for the New Orleans Saints, established
6Son of a Saint in 2011 in honor of his late father and single mother; Son of a Saint is a New
7Orleans-based nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and support services to boys
8whose fathers have died or been incarcerated; and
9 WHEREAS, the organization has been chipping away at the epidemic of
10fatherlessness in New Orleans, saving the lives of a growing family of fatherless boys and
11improving the quality of life for everyone in New Orleans for generations to come; and
12 WHEREAS, Sonny lost his own father after he suffered a heart attack at the age of
13thirty-six; his mother was left to raise Sonny and his older sister, Tamica; in founding Son
14of a Saint, Sonny aimed to "pay it forward" to fatherless young males in the community; and
15 WHEREAS, the organization utilizes a network of volunteers and community
16partners to ensure that fatherless boys have the opportunity to receive meaningful guidance
17and encouragement; every year boys ages ten to thirteen enter the program and remain
18involved until receiving their high school diplomas; and
19 WHEREAS, participants must maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA, complete eight hours
20of community service every month, and maintain good behavior at home and school and
21within the organization; and
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HR NO. 124
1 WHEREAS, Son of a Saint was named as one of three organizations statewide
2selected by the Louisiana Department of Education to help facilitate the state's Tuition
3Donation Credit Program, a tax-credit scholarship program launched in 2012 designed to
4encourage donors to contribute to scholarship organizations that help students from low-
5income households access private learning options best suited to their needs; and
6 WHEREAS, in January 2019, Son of a Saint reached the significant milestone of
7serving one hundred fatherless boys; Sonny has made tremendous contributions to New
8Orleans and made the community a better place for young people.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
10Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III, of Son of a Saint
11for his many contributions and tireless service to his community and the state of Louisiana;
12does hereby recognize and record for posterity the paramount progress Son of a Saint has
13made in the lives of so many boys; and does hereby commend Mr. Lee for the honor and
14prestige that he has brought to the state of Louisiana as a result of his work and service.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
16Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III.
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)]
HR 124 Original 2019 Regular Session Gary Carter
Commends Bivian "Sonny" Lee, III, Son of a Saint in New Orleans for service to the
community.
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