SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 488 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Keri Powell, who has been selected as the 2016 Texas Big Sister of the Year; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters is a nationwide organization with a mission of helping children meet their full potential in school and in life through strong and caring mentorship; and WHEREAS, Keri Powell volunteers as a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lubbock, and she has been a mentor to her Little Sister, Kiana Gaines, for 11 years; in their years together, they have shared a wide range of experiences, and Keri has shown Kiana the importance of a strong education; as a result, Kiana has found academic success while pursuing a number of extracurricular activities; and WHEREAS, Keri and Kiana enjoy serving their community through an array of local organizations, and their time volunteering with the South Plains Food Bank led to a summer job for Kiana; and WHEREAS, In addition to serving as a mentor, Keri Powell assists Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lubbock with local recruitment endeavors, event planning, and fund-raising; she is an outstanding citizen, and she is indeed deserving of recognition for her accomplishments; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commend Keri Powell for her many contributions to the Lubbock community and congratulate her on being named the 2016 Texas Big Sister of the Year; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. Perry ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 23, 2017. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate