Offered By: Senator Sears of Benningtoncounty and Senator Shepard of Benningtoncounty

NO. R-105Page 1

NO. R-105. House concurrent resolution honoring George and Helen Renner on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary.

(H.C.R.61)

Offered by: Representatives Botzow of Pownal, Bartlett of Dover, Corcoran of Bennington, Freed of Dorset, Hube of Londonderry, Krawczyk, A. of Bennington, Krawczyk, J. of Bennington, Livingston of Manchester, Miller of Shaftsbury, Molloy of Arlington, Morrissey of Bennington and Waite of Pawlet.

Offered by: Senator Sears of BenningtonCounty and Senator Shepard of BenningtonCounty.

Whereas, rarely has a married couple’s individual and combined civic roles enriched a municipality’s life as have those of George and Helen Renner in the town of Pownal, and

Whereas, Helen Renner has resided at her family’s homestead since her birth 87 years ago, and

Whereas, departing Pownal long enough to earn a college degree at Syracuse University, upon her return home, she served as the North Adams Transcript’s Pownal correspondent for over four decades, and

Whereas, her special passions are the Solomon Wright Public Library whose construction can be attributed in large measure to her persuasion and determination, and the Pownal Historical Society of which she was the founding president, and

Whereas, she served as the Solomon Wright’s librarian, remains the library board chair, a role which enables her to oversee the library’s expansion project to fruition, and continues as an active member of the historical society’s board of directors, and

Whereas, her public service has entailed service as Pownal’s town clerk and postmaster, she remains the municipality’s election clerk, and her municipal service has merited her selection as a member of the Town Officials Hall of Fame, and

Whereas, if all of these activities were not sufficient to occupy her time, she drives her truck to local stores, collecting food for the poor, and has participated in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and

Whereas, she is a most worthy recipient of the Vermont Public Service Award, and

Whereas, George, her life partner of 60 years, is also a Syracuse University alumni, a World War II veteran, and a long-time member of the Pownal Valley Fire Department, of which he formerly served as chief, and

Whereas, he personally helped construct the firehouse with his very own hammer, and shares Helen’s passion for books as the Solomon Wright Public Library’s treasurer and as a regular library volunteer, and

Whereas, he established the Tax Aide Program in Bennington County and has demonstrated his athletic prowess by winning medals in tennis, swimming, and basketball in the Green Mountain Games, and

Whereas, in 1993, he was the recipient of the Governor’s Certificate of Merit Award for Outstanding Community Service, and

Whereas, this wonderful couple, who are much loved in Pownal, and who continue to leave a still-growing indelible mark on the community, will celebrate the 60th anniversary of their matrimonial union in April 2003, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:

That the General Assembly congratulates George and Helen Renner, extraordinary civic servants, on the joyous occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary and be it further

Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Pownal Historical Society, the Solomon Wright Library in Pownal, and to George and Helen Renner in Pownal.