| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Ian McKenna, an eighth grader at Kealing Middle |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | School, has made a positive difference in his community through his |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | efforts to address hunger in the Austin area; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, This outstanding young Texan was inspired to perform |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | his first act of philanthropy back in 2012; his sister Addison told |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | him about a first-grade classmate of hers who didn't receive |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | presents from Santa because of her family's financial difficulties, |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | and Ian decided to help; on Christmas morning, he and his family |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | showed up at the girl's door with a trunk full of toys and food for |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | her family; and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Ian soon discovered that some of his fellow students |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | were going hungry on a daily basis; in March 2013, he started a |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | garden at Oak Hill Elementary, making it available to anyone who |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | wanted to use it; he later built a second garden at Sunset Valley |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | Elementary, and with the support of a grant from the nonprofit |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | Katie's Krops, he created a third garden in his own backyard, |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | cultivating a variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, sweet |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | potatoes, okra, cauliflower, and broccoli; in the first year, he |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | harvested 750 pounds of produce and donated it directly to families |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | in need and to such organizations as the Central Texas Food Bank; |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | and |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Desiring to do more, Ian decided to organize a |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | dinner to raise awareness of the hunger many Americans face; held at |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | El Buen Samaritano on January 21, 2017, the dinner featured |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | vegetables from Ian's garden as well as food donated by Keep Austin |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | Fed and Trader Joe's; the popular event drew hundreds of attendees |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | from all around Austin, including elected officials; and |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Texas is fortunate to have passionate and engaged |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | residents like Ian McKenna, whose history of civic involvement, |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | remarkable for someone of any age, serves as an inspiration to all |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | who know him; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby commend Ian McKenna for his invaluable |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | contributions to the community and extend to him sincere best |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | wishes for continued success with his important work; and, be it |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | further |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | prepared for Ian as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | of Representatives. |
|---|