Florida Senate - 2010 (NP) SR 2852 By Senator Bennett 21-05048-10 20102852__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A Resolution honoring Florida’s 2008 Summer and 2010 3 Winter Olympians, 2008 Summer and 2010 Winter 4 Paralympians, and 2007 Summer and 2009 Winter Special 5 Olympians and recognizing their outstanding 6 achievement in their respective sports. 7 8 WHEREAS, April 28, 2010, which is recognized as “Fitness 9 Day at the Capitol,” is an appropriate time for the Florida 10 Senate to recognize and honor those athletes who represented 11 this state in the Games of the Twenty-Ninth Summer and Twenty 12 First Winter Olympiads, the 2008 Summer Paralympics and 2010 13 Winter Paralympics, and the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer 14 Games and 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, and 15 WHEREAS, Fitness Day at the Capitol is a product of the 16 state plan of action created by the Governor’s Council on 17 Physical Fitness, which is composed of individuals from diverse 18 and varied backgrounds, including physicians, educators, 19 students, nutritionists, professional athletes, and former 20 Olympians, and 21 WHEREAS, among those who serve on the Governor’s Council on 22 Physical Fitness are former Olympians Jennifer Capriati, Nancy 23 Hogshead-Makar, Shannon Miller, Dorothy “Dot” Richardson, and 24 Dara Torres, and 25 WHEREAS, it is essential to promote health and wellness by 26 encouraging regular exercise and sound nutritional practices for 27 all Floridians, thereby reducing the rate of obesity and 28 resulting chronic diseases, and 29 WHEREAS, Florida’s Olympians, Paralympians, and Special 30 Olympians are role models who demonstrate the virtues and 31 positive results of a healthful lifestyle that includes physical 32 fitness, such as tennis great Chris Evert, who also exemplifies 33 service to her community, and 34 WHEREAS, many outstanding athletes represented Florida and 35 the United States as team members in the 2008 United States 36 Summer Paralympics, the 2010 United States Winter Paralympics, 37 the 2007 United States Summer Special Olympics World Games, and 38 the 2009 Winter Special Olympics Summer World Games, and 39 WHEREAS, due to years of hard work and preparation of both 40 mind and body, these men and women persevered to reach the 41 highest level of achievement in their respective events, 42 representing their home state of Florida with honor and 43 personifying the Olympic motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius,” 44 “Faster, Stronger, Higher,” and 45 WHEREAS, the 26 Floridians who participated in the XXIX 46 Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing, China, in 2008 are: Laura 47 Bennett, North Palm Beach, triathlon; James Blake, Tampa, 48 tennis; Damu Cherry, Tampa, track and field; Christopher 49 Colwill, Brandon, diving; Rafeeq Curry, Miami, track and field; 50 Phil Dalhausser, Ormond Beach, volleyball; Walter Dix, Coral 51 Springs, track and field; Dwight Howard, Longwood, basketball; 52 Hunter Kemper, Longwood, triathlon; Kelly Kretschman, Indian 53 Harbour Beach, softball; Matt LaPorta, Port Charlotte, baseball; 54 Ryan Lochte, Daytona Beach, swimming; David Oliver, Orlando, 55 track and field; Brian Olson, Tallahassee, judo; Zach Railey, 56 Clearwater, sailing; Nancy Rios, Miami, sailing; Tiffany Ross 57 Williams, Miami, track and field; Calvin Smith, Gainesville, 58 track and field; Nathan Sturgis, St. Augustine, soccer; Jevon 59 Tarantino, Boca Raton, diving; Dara Torres, Jupiter, swimming; 60 Anna Tunnicliffe, Fort Lauderdale, sailing; Lauryn Williams, 61 Miami, track and field; Serena Williams, Palm Beach Gardens, 62 tennis; Tiffany Ross-Williams, Miami, track and field; and Venus 63 Williams, Palm Beach Gardens, tennis, and 64 WHEREAS, the five Floridians who participated in the XXI 65 Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver, British Columbia, 66 Canada, in 2010 are: Jeremy Barrett, Venice, figure skating; 67 Caydee Denney, Wesley Chapel, figure skating; Mark Ladwig, 68 Bradenton, figure skating; Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami, speed 69 skating; and Jason Smith, Cape Coral, curling, and 70 WHEREAS, all Florida Olympians, Paralympians, and Special 71 Olympians, along with Florida’s youth, collegiate, and 72 professional athletes, deserve recognition for the example they 73 display in demonstrating the importance of physical fitness as 74 part of a healthful lifestyle, NOW, THEREFORE, 75 76 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 77 78 That Florida’s Olympians, Paralympians, and Special 79 Olympians are congratulated on their outstanding achievements, 80 Florida native Chris Evert is recognized as Florida’s physical 81 fitness ambassador, and all members of the Governor’s Council on 82 Physical Fitness are commended for their leadership in promoting 83 physical fitness for all Floridians. 84 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with 85 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the Governor’s 86 Council on Physical Fitness as a tangible token of the 87 sentiments of the Florida Senate.