| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 84 |
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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, The Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo is celebrating |
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| 6 | 6 | | the 40th anniversary of its founding in 2023; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, Recognizing the need for the parents of hospitalized |
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| 8 | 8 | | children to stay close during treatment, the first Ronald McDonald |
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| 9 | 9 | | House was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1974; Ronald |
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| 10 | 10 | | McDonald House Charities has since established more than 380 Ronald |
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| 11 | 11 | | McDonald House programs around the world and provides more than |
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| 12 | 12 | | 2.2 million overnight stays each year, saving families some |
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| 13 | 13 | | $611 million in lodging and meals; it has further expanded its |
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| 14 | 14 | | services through its Family Rooms on site at hospitals as well as |
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| 15 | 15 | | its Care Mobile programs, which provide essential medical and |
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| 16 | 16 | | dental care to underserved communities; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, An independent, nonprofit charity, the Ronald |
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| 18 | 18 | | McDonald House of Amarillo opened its doors in 1983; initially |
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| 19 | 19 | | seeking to support families from the Texas Panhandle and |
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| 20 | 20 | | surrounding area, the facility has also served families from nearby |
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| 21 | 21 | | states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and those from |
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| 22 | 22 | | as far away as Canada and Australia; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, In 2021, the original building was replaced with a |
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| 24 | 24 | | new, state-of-the-art facility, which encompasses 12 guest suites |
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| 25 | 25 | | with private bathrooms as well as a communal kitchen, a laundry |
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| 26 | 26 | | room, and four play areas; families are welcome to stay for the |
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| 27 | 27 | | length of their child's treatment, at no cost to them, and they can |
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| 28 | 28 | | rest and recharge at the Ronald McDonald Family Room on the |
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| 29 | 29 | | pediatric floor of Northwest Texas Healthcare System; they also |
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| 30 | 30 | | receive help transitioning back to normal life when they return |
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| 31 | 31 | | home; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, In addition to supporting the families residing at |
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| 33 | 33 | | the house, the staff and volunteers of Ronald McDonald House |
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| 34 | 34 | | Charities take toys to children at Northwest Texas Healthcare |
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| 35 | 35 | | System and BSA Hospital; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, True to its mission, the Ronald McDonald House of |
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| 37 | 37 | | Amarillo has made a lasting and positive difference in the lives of |
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| 38 | 38 | | countless children and their families, and it is indeed a pleasure |
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| 39 | 39 | | to honor the organization on this special milestone in its history; |
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| 40 | 40 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commemorate the 40th |
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| 43 | 43 | | anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo and extend to |
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| 44 | 44 | | all those associated with the organization sincere best wishes for |
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| 45 | 45 | | continued success with their important work; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 47 | | prepared for the Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo as an expression |
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| 48 | 48 | | of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |
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| 49 | 49 | | Price |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.R. No. 84 was adopted by the House on |
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| 53 | 53 | | November 1, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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