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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, located in Oldham County, |
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northwest of Amarillo, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a |
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coeducational institution in 2017; and |
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WHEREAS, An accomplished civic leader and respected |
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businessman, Cal Farley was first inspired to help children in the |
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Amarillo area after noticing young boys hanging around the local |
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baseball park instead of attending school; he later learned that |
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many of the boys came from disadvantaged households, and he |
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subsequently formed the Maverick Club and Kids, Inc., to provide |
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the children with access to extracurricular activities, as well as |
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food, clothing, and medical services; and |
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WHEREAS, Seeking to create a permanent sanctuary for troubled |
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youth in the community, Mr. Farley secured a donation of 120 acres |
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of land from local rancher Julian Bivins in 1938 and began housing |
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boys on the property the following year; on March 14, 1939, Boys |
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Ranch received a charter from the Texas secretary of state, and two |
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years later, the Boys Ranch Independent School District was |
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established through legislative action; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1987, Cal Farley's merged with Girlstown, USA, |
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and in 1992, it welcomed girls to live on the campus; in the recent |
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past, the ranch held an election exclusively for female residents |
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to decide whether to change the institution's name to the Boys and |
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Girls Ranch, and the girls voted to preserve the original name |
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because of its historical significance; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, with some 300 youths in its care, Cal |
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Farley's is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the |
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country and a national leader in providing child and family |
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services; privately funded, it offers residential, spiritual, |
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educational, and community-based services at no cost to the |
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families it assists; and |
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WHEREAS, Thousands of young people from across the nation |
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have found hope, opportunity, and "A Shirttail to Hang Onto" at Cal |
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Farley's Boys Ranch, and it is indeed fitting that the proud history |
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of Cal Farley's be recognized as the ranch marks this special |
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milestone; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Cal Farley's Boys Ranch on the occasion of |
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its 25th anniversary as a coeducational institution and extend to |
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all those associated with the organization sincere best wishes for |
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the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the ranch as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |