| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution congratulating the Gaither High School |
| 3 | Marching Cowboy Band on its selection to participate in |
| 4 | the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. |
| 5 |
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| 6 | WHEREAS, the 55th Presidential Inaugural Committee, |
| 7 | impressed by both the talent and great enthusiasm exhibited by |
| 8 | the 2,000 marching bands from across the country which applied |
| 9 | to participate in this year's Presidential Inaugural Parade on |
| 10 | January 20, selected the Gaither High School Marching Cowboy |
| 11 | Band from Hillsborough County, and |
| 12 | WHEREAS, the Gaither High School Marching Cowboy Band was |
| 13 | the only band selected from Florida, one of only 34 to be |
| 14 | selected nationwide, and did what no county band has done since |
| 15 | 1969 by performing in a presidential inaugural parade, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, the band members practiced diligently and worked |
| 17 | with band boosters and other community supporters to raise |
| 18 | $90,000 to participate in the event and received tremendous |
| 19 | donations, both monetary and otherwise, from businesses and |
| 20 | individuals to facilitate the trip, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, five busloads of some 165 student performers and |
| 22 | instruments and 60 chaperones departed for Washington, D.C., on |
| 23 | January 18 to not only participate in the inaugural event but |
| 24 | also to attend their own post-parade party at the Hard Rock Caf? |
| 25 | in Baltimore, and |
| 26 | WHEREAS, the students and chaperones also spent time taking |
| 27 | a cruise around the Baltimore Inner Harbor, snow tubing at |
| 28 | Wintergreen Ski Slopes in Virginia, taking a bus tour of the |
| 29 | Pentagon, Lincoln Memorial, and Jefferson Memorial, taking a |
| 30 | monument tour of the National Mall, and visiting the Smithsonian |
| 31 | Institution and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing |
| 32 | Arts in Washington, D.C., NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 33 |
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| 34 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 35 | Florida: |
| 36 |
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| 37 | That the Gaither High School Marching Cowboy Band is |
| 38 | congratulated on its hard work and on its selection to |
| 39 | participate in the Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, |
| 40 | D.C., on January 20, 2005, and is commended for creating an |
| 41 | inspiring example for high school band members of this state and |
| 42 | bringing credit to its school district and to Hillsborough |
| 43 | County. |
| 44 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 45 | presented to the Gaither High School Marching Cowboy Band as a |
| 46 | tangible token of the sentiments expressed herein. |