03-10-03 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 10, 2003 WHEREAS, in October of 1973, volunteers in Midland, Texas, repaired seventeen (17) of their neighbors' homes and decided to assist in an "annual workday each April" to assist low - income, disabled or elderly who needed help in maintaining their homes; and WHEREAS, in 1988 a national program entitled "Christmas in April, USA" was formed to help spread the program throughout the United States and it has grown today to include 260 local affiliates in communities in all of the fifty states where 1.8 million volunteers in more than 865 cities and towns participate to repair and rehabilitate homes and non - profit facilities resulting in a market impact of more than $84 million nationally; and WHEREAS, Christmas in April, USA, officially changed its name to "Rebuilding Together, Inc." in early 2001 and is today the largest volunteer organization, one that has preserved and revitalized over 63,000 low- income homes in communities throughout the nation; and WHEREAS, Christmas in April, in St. Joseph County began in 1989 and since its creation over 30,000 volunteers have donated their time, talents and resources in completing nearly $7 million of repairs to 570 homes in the following neighborhoods: Northeast, Southeast, West Washington, Westside /St. Casimir's, Rum Village, Northwest, Near Northwest, Near Westside Partnership Center Neighborhood and the Westside; and WHEREAS, volunteers in the Rebuilding Together with Christmas in April Program in South Bend include skilled union workers from the Saint Joseph Valley Building and Construction Trades Council and other trade contractors; Home Builders Association; local businesses, churches and synagogues; employees from the City of South Bend; and students from the University ofNotre Dame, St. Mary's College, Holy Cross College, Bethel College and IUSB working in partnership and utilizing Community Development Block Grant dollars and other generous donations to "repair and spruce up homes of low- income, disabled and elderly neighbors." NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AS FOLLOWS: Section I. On behalf of all of the citizens of South Bend, Indiana, the Common Council hereby publicly thanks the countless volunteers who have donated their time, talents and resources for fourteen (14) years of successful and rewarding REBUILDING TOGETHER WITH CHRISTMAS IN APRIL PROGRAMS in South Bend, Indiana. Section II. The Common Council is indeed grateful to each and every volunteer and salutes all of those who will be participating on April 5th and April 12th, 2003, in the REBUILDING TOGETHER WITH CHRISTMAS IN APRIL PROGRAM in South Bend's Miami Village Neighborhood. Section III. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor. s /James Aranowski, First District s/Dr. David Varner, Fifth District s /Charlotte Pfeifer, Second District s /Ervin Kuspa, Sixth District .