08-R264
2008 -- H 8306
Enacted 06/04/08
J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
WELCOMING THE 2007
MISS AMERICA LAUREN NELSON TO THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THANKING HER, COX
COMMUNICATIONS NEW ENGLAND, AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS FOR THEIR EFFORTS ON
BEHALF OF CHILDREN AND INTERNET SAFETY
Introduced By:
Representatives Kilmartin, Fox, Lewiss, E Coderre, and Trillo
Date Introduced: May 20,
2008
WHEREAS,
In January of 2007, the beautiful and talented Miss Lauren Nelson became
the
86th woman to be crowned Miss America. As her personal platform, Lauren chose
to
champion
the very worthwhile cause of making the internet a safer place for children;
and
WHEREAS,
During her yearlong reign as Miss America, Lauren took the opportunity to
really
make a difference, and worked with numerous organizations in conjunction with
Internet
Safety-Protecting
Kids Online; and
WHEREAS,
Joining forces with John Walsh and the staff of the acclaimed television
program
“America’s Most Wanted”, Lauren helped to produce four arrests of online
predators,
and
her image was used as a web browser by the Children’s Educational Network to
help parents
monitor
their children’s internet usage. Lauren also testified before the United States
Senate
Commerce
Committee, and has lectured extensively to young audiences across the country;
and
WHEREAS,
Lauren’s passion for protecting children on the internet began as a very
young
woman, when a man posing as someone their age approached her and her friends on
the
internet.
To our very good fortune, Lauren’s commitment to her crusade did not end when
her
year
as the reigning Miss America came to a close, and her continued discourse and
travel on
internet
safety brought her to Rhode Island; and
WHEREAS,
Cox Communications New England sponsored a “Teen Summit”
addressing
dangerous internet activities as part of the company’s “Take Charge!”
Initiative. In
addition,
Cox donated a new $25,000 technology center at the East Providence Boys and
Girls
Club;
and
WHEREAS,
Lauren Nelson led the Cox Communications summit, and took part in a
roundtable
discussion with the six young people chosen by the Boys and Girls Club as their
“Rhode
Island Youth of the Year”; and
WHEREAS,
Representing the Boys and Girls Clubs of East Providence, Pawtucket,
Cumberland/Lincoln,
Warwick, Providence and Newport are Katelyn Rodrigues, Yasmine D.
Lima,
Christy L. Lynch, Jessi L. Charette, Jason T. McClurg, and Kirsten R. Maloney,
respectively;
and
WHEREAS,
Miss America Lauren Nelson is a true role model for her generation. Her
dedication
to making the internet a safer place for all our children together with the
generosity of
Cox
Communications New England, and the exceptional representation of the Boys and
Girls
Clubs’
Rhode Island Youth of the Year is genuinely laudable and worthy of our
gratitude and
recognition;
now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence
Plantations
hereby warmly welcomes Miss Lauren Nelson, the 2007 Miss America, to the Ocean
State.
We thank Lauren, Cox Communications New England, the Rhode Island Youth of the
Year,
and all the young people of the Boys and Girls Clubs for their commitment to
making the
internet
a safer place for our children. We wish Lauren much happiness, good health, and
continued
success in all her future endeavors; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit
a duly certified copy of this resolution to Miss Lauren Nelson.
=======
LC02970
=======