82S11328 BPG-D By: S. Davis of Harris H.R. No. 261 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Members of the Bellaire MENS Club are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their organization's founding throughout 2011; and WHEREAS, Open to young men in their junior or senior year of high school, the Bellaire MENS Club was established as a philanthropic service organization on January 22, 2001; members of the nonprofit group have taken part in a wide variety of charitable activities to benefit residents of southwestern Houston; and WHEREAS, Participants in the many initiatives of the BMC learn valuable business and organizational skills while assisting worthy causes; each year, the group donates more than 1,500 pounds of food to the Houston Food Bank, and its service projects include a car wash that collects donations of canned goods from customers; the annual BMC Battle of the Bands Charity Concert typically draws more than 1,000 students, family members, and citizens from all over Houston and has raised nearly $12,000 for such charities as Child Advocates, the Star of Hope Mission, and the Wounded Warrior Project; in addition, the BMC conducts an annual toy drive in behalf of the Gabriela Mistral Center for Early Childhood and has hosted a senior prom for the residents of the Seven Acres/Medallion retirement home, among other endeavors; and WHEREAS, Over the past decade, thousands of members of the Bellaire MENS Club have gained an appreciation for the value of community service while making a positive impact in the lives of others, and it is indeed fitting to recognize the noteworthy contributions of this outstanding organization at this time; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Bellaire MENS Club and extend sincere best wishes for continued success to all those associated with the group; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the Bellaire MENS Club as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.