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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The opening of GiGi's Playhouse El Paso on April 19, |
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2015, provides a fitting opportunity to recognize this outstanding |
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organization and its successful partnership with the Junior League |
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of El Paso, Inc.; and |
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WHEREAS, GiGi's Playhouse is an international organization |
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that was founded in 2003 in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, by Nancy |
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Gianni after her daughter, GiGi, was born with Down syndrome; |
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GiGi's Playhouse offers free educational and therapeutic programs |
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to children and adults of all ages who have been diagnosed with Down |
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syndrome; its curriculum, which was designed by teachers and |
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clinicians, focuses on advancing literacy, math, motor, and social |
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skills as well as on building self-esteem; the centers also provide |
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important opportunities for family networking and support; last |
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year, GiGi's Playhouse served more than 25,000 participants in 22 |
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cities in the United States and Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, The first location in the Lone Star State, GiGi's |
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Playhouse El Paso was founded by Maggie Moody, who wanted to honor |
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her daughter, Melissa, an adult with Down syndrome, and to bring the |
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organization's invaluable services to area families affected by |
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Down syndrome; the Junior League of El Paso, Inc., adopted the |
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project for 2014-2015, committing both financial assistance and |
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volunteer hours to the development of the center; league members |
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visited the original Playhouse in Illinois and met with the |
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organization's founder and local participants; in anticipation of |
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the center's opening, a highly successful gala was held in El Paso |
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on March 20, 2015, with special guest speaker Lauren Potter from the |
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television show Glee; the actress, who has Down syndrome herself, |
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also appeared at a meet-and-greet breakfast at Scotsdale Elementary |
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School during World Down Syndrome Day; and |
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WHEREAS, By empowering individuals with Down syndrome and by |
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raising awareness in the community about how much those with Down |
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syndrome can achieve, GiGi's Playhouse is making a positive |
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difference in countless lives, and members of the Junior League of |
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El Paso, Inc., can take great pride in the role they have played in |
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making this important resource available to area Texans; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby welcome GiGi's Playhouse to the Lone Star State |
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and commend Nancy Gianni, Maggie Moody, and the Junior League of El |
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Paso, Inc., for their support in bringing this project to fruition. |