Reps. Sak, Anderson, Bieda, Brandenburg, Brown, Byrum, Caul, Cheeks, Clack, Condino, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Hildenbrand, Hopgood, Kooiman, Leland, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, McDowell, Meisner, Miller, Mortimer, Murphy, Polidori, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Spade, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Waters, Wojno, Zelenko and Stakoe offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 195.

A resolution recognizing Very Special Arts of Michigan.

            Whereas, Very Special Arts of Michigan was founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith and is affiliated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.; and

            Whereas, Very Special Arts of Michigan’s mission is to promote creative power in people with disabilities; and

Whereas, Very Special Arts of Michigan’s goal is to provide access and opportunity in the arts to people with disabilities in an effort to increase public awareness.  Very Special Arts uses arts to encourage positive interactions between people with and without disabilities and increase the opportunities for people with disabilities to pursue a career in the arts; and

            Whereas, Very Special Arts of Michigan has ten district and local organization locations and reaches over 50,000 Michigan residents annually; and

            Whereas, These children, students, and adults are impacted through the efforts of over 150 regular volunteers and  more then 2000 intermittent volunteers; and

            Whereas, This program came to Michigan in 1977; and

Whereas, We are proud to recognize Very Special Arts of Michigan as they celebrate their 20th anniversary of the Grand Rapids chapter; and

            Whereas, Very Special Arts of Michigan’s activities include exhibitions of student artwork, individual classroom workshops, student scholarships, and their annual Very Special Arts at the Capitol Day; now, therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body recognize Very Special Arts of Michigan.