H.R. No. 718
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Gloria Mata Pennington was recognized by the Austin
History Center in conjunction with its exhibit Mexican American
Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County; and
WHEREAS, Honoring the important contributions made by
Mexican Americans to Central Texas, the Austin History Center and
its association joined with the Austin Public Library to organize
the show, which ran from August 21, 2010, through January 16, 2011;
Mexican American Firsts: Trailblazers of Austin and Travis County
celebrated the pioneering achievements of 32 remarkable men and
women and provided the public with an opportunity to learn more
about their lives; and
WHEREAS, One such individual, Gloria Mata Pennington, was
honored for her achievements in public health; as a member of the
Travis County Democratic Women's Organization, she was appointed to
serve on the board of the Lakeside Senior Activity Center and
embarked on a long career working in behalf of the elderly; she
served as manager of senior programs for the City of Austin's Parks
and Recreation Department for more than two decades and became the
first Hispanic woman on Austin television as host of the
long-running "Senior Forum" on KXAN-TV; in addition, she hosted
"Positive Aging" on KIXL; and
WHEREAS, Highly regarded for her expertise on senior
citizens' issues, Ms. Pennington was appointed to represent her
congressional district at the White House Conference on Aging in
1995; she has served her community in a wide variety of ways through
the years, including volunteering for the Austin Independent School
District, serving as president of Gullett Elementary School's PTA,
and serving on the City Council of PTAs; moreover, she participated
in political campaigns for John Trevino, Richard Moya, and Gonzalo
Barrientos; among other accolades, she has received the Excellence
in Writing Award from the Texas Association of Bilingual Education;
she serves today on the Austin Arts Commission and several other
community boards and commissions; and
WHEREAS, Gloria Mata Pennington has made a positive
difference in her community, and her outstanding accomplishments
are a source of pride and inspiration to many people; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Gloria Mata Pennington on her
selection as a Mexican American Trailblazer of Austin and Travis
County and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Pennington as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Rodriguez
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 718 was adopted by the House on March
17, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House