| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives wish to congratulate Gale Graves on being | ||||||
| 4 | named the 2026 Gurnee Days Honoree in recognition of her | ||||||
| 5 | outstanding dedication, leadership, and service to the | ||||||
| 6 | residents of Gurnee and Lake County; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves has devoted her career to improving | ||||||
| 8 | the lives of individuals and families through a steadfast | ||||||
| 9 | commitment to public service, education, and community | ||||||
| 10 | engagement; and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves began her professional career in | ||||||
| 12 | social services in Detroit and later earned her Master of | ||||||
| 13 | Business Administration; she relocated to Lake County, where | ||||||
| 14 | she held leadership roles in healthcare consulting, marketing, | ||||||
| 15 | and operations before returning to nonprofit work inspired by | ||||||
| 16 | her experience as an adult literacy tutor; and | ||||||
| 17 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves developed adult education programs | ||||||
| 18 | during her career tailored to community needs, secured | ||||||
| 19 | critical grant funding while serving at the Waukegan Public | ||||||
| 20 | Library, and taught as an adult education adjunct at the | ||||||
| 21 | College of Lake County, helping countless individuals access | ||||||
| 22 | educational opportunities and improve their quality of life; | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | and | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves co-chaired the African American | ||||||
| 3 | Community Partnership Group of Lake County during the COVID-19 | ||||||
| 4 | pandemic, coordinating outreach, education, and mitigation | ||||||
| 5 | efforts in disproportionately impacted communities while | ||||||
| 6 | administering more than $1 million in CARES Act funding to | ||||||
| 7 | support community-based public health initiatives; and | ||||||
| 8 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves, as Vice President of Community | ||||||
| 9 | Impact for United Way of Lake County, leads education and | ||||||
| 10 | community resiliency initiatives, including the 211 Lake | ||||||
| 11 | County resource network, connecting thousands of residents | ||||||
| 12 | each year with essential services and support while fostering | ||||||
| 13 | partnerships that strengthen communities throughout Lake | ||||||
| 14 | County; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves has demonstrated exceptional | ||||||
| 16 | leadership through her service on numerous community | ||||||
| 17 | initiatives, including five years on the board of Cool | ||||||
| 18 | Learning Experience and her appointment to the inaugural | ||||||
| 19 | Gurnee Cares Commission, where she continues to support local | ||||||
| 20 | nonprofit organizations and expand opportunities for Gurnee | ||||||
| 21 | residents; and | ||||||
| 22 | WHEREAS, Gale Graves has been recognized throughout Lake | ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| 1 | County for her service, including receiving a proclamation | ||||||
| 2 | from the Lake County Board in 2025, honoring her contributions | ||||||
| 3 | to local children, families, and communities and being named a | ||||||
| 4 | 2026 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drum Major for Justice Honoree | ||||||
| 5 | in recognition of her commitment to advancing equity and | ||||||
| 6 | opportunity; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 7 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | ||||||
| 8 | HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | ||||||
| 9 | we congratulate Gale Graves on being named the 2026 Gurnee | ||||||
| 10 | Days Honoree, commend her for her many contributions to the | ||||||
| 11 | people of Gurnee and Lake County, and wish her continued | ||||||
| 12 | success in all of her future endeavors; and be it further | ||||||
| 13 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 14 | presented to Gale Graves as a symbol of our respect and esteem. | ||||||