83R8947 JWI-D
By: Kleinschmidt H.R. No. 597
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The 2011 Central Texas wildfires destroyed more than
1,600 homes and devastated the Bastrop State Park ecosystem, yet in
the aftermath of this terrible disaster, numerous emergency first
responders stepped forward to help the communities and their
citizens rebuild; and
WHEREAS, Among these outstanding volunteers were AmeriCorps
members from American YouthWorks who soon began working with
authorities in Bastrop; taking on key leadership positions, they
organized thousands of participants to help homeowners remove
debris; the initial team consisted of American YouthWorks and the
Washington Conservation Corps, and later these organizations were
joined by members of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community
Corps and the Hoopa Tribal Civilian Community Corps of California;
and
WHEREAS, AmeriCorps members devoted 9,336 hours to recovery
efforts in Bastrop County as well as in Travis and Waller Counties;
in addition, they recruited more than 4,000 volunteers who provided
over 26,000 hours of direct service to the region; together, the
groups assisted more than 190 households; and
WHEREAS, The OneStar Foundation, which supports AmeriCorps
programs as well as the nonprofit sector throughout the state of
Texas, has allocated resources to support American YouthWorks's
critical role in future times of disaster; and
WHEREAS, Through their hard work, cooperative spirit, and
dedication to the greater good, AmeriCorps members from American
YouthWorks contributed enormously to their community during a time
of dire need, and it is indeed fitting to honor them for their role
in the Central Texas wildfire recovery operations; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby commend American YouthWorks and its AmeriCorps
members for their service in the wake of the 2011 wildfires and
extend to them sincere gratitude for their accomplishments; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for American YouthWorks as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.