| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 645 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Ruben Garza retired as executive director of the |
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| 6 | 6 | | Southside Community Center in 2022, drawing to a close more than |
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| 7 | 7 | | three and a half decades of exemplary service to people in need in |
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| 8 | 8 | | San Marcos and Hays County; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A native of McAllen, Ruben Garza earned his |
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| 10 | 10 | | bachelor's degree in political science from Southwest Texas State |
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| 11 | 11 | | University, and immediately after graduating, he joined the staff |
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| 12 | 12 | | of State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Garza served as executive director of the |
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| 14 | 14 | | Southside Community Center, a nonprofit affiliate of the United |
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| 15 | 15 | | Methodist Church, for 36 years; the center seeks to improve the |
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| 16 | 16 | | living conditions and personal dignity of those in need in Hays |
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| 17 | 17 | | County through the delivery of such services as food and |
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| 18 | 18 | | transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness, |
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| 19 | 19 | | after-school activities for young people, and transportation to |
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| 20 | 20 | | local grocery stores; under Mr. Garza's leadership, the center has |
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| 21 | 21 | | sponsored summer volunteers from around the country who have worked |
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| 22 | 22 | | to improve the homes of residents who are low-income, elderly, or |
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| 23 | 23 | | disabled, and more than 800 homes have been upgraded over 25 years; |
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| 24 | 24 | | he also oversaw the development of a retirement center and |
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| 25 | 25 | | facilitated the creation of affordable senior housing; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Garza served as the first Hispanic president of |
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| 27 | 27 | | the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District and as a |
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| 28 | 28 | | founding member of the San Marcos Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; in |
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| 29 | 29 | | addition, he has been a member of the Rotary Club, the San Marcos |
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| 30 | 30 | | Youth Service Bureau, and the Blanco River Regional Recovery Group, |
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| 31 | 31 | | and he is an active congregant of First United Methodist Church; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Ruben Garza's skill, expertise, and dedication to |
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| 33 | 33 | | serving others have greatly benefited the people of San Marcos and |
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| 34 | 34 | | Hays County, and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well |
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| 35 | 35 | | spent; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Ruben Garza on his retirement from |
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| 38 | 38 | | the Southside Community Center and extend to him sincere best |
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| 39 | 39 | | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 41 | | prepared for Mr. Garza as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | House of Representatives. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Zwiener |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 46 | 46 | | I certify that H.R. No. 645 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 47 | 47 | | 30, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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