08 LC 36
0923
House
Resolution 1283
By:
Representative Bryant of the
160th
A
RESOLUTION
Commending
the Honorable Viola W. Bell; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the Honorable Viola W. Bell is a remarkable woman and a natural leader with a
caring heart, a guided spirit, a keen intellect, and an unparalleled inner
strength; and
WHEREAS,
in 1985 Viola Bell became the first black person in Garden City elected to serve
on the city council; in that year, she shared the role of freshman councilmember
with only one other, her comrade in arms and bicycling partner, the Honorable
Sonny Dixon; and
WHEREAS,
as a freshman councilmember, one of Mrs. Bell's first fights involved public
transportation; knowing that bus service is crucial to poorer citizens, Mrs.
Bell, along with Sonny Dixon and community leader Bob Bryant, fought tooth and
nail, using the full extent of her formidable charm and persuasive powers to
creatively construct a way to retain bus service into Garden City where it was
most needed; and
WHEREAS,
during her first two terms and thereafter, Mrs. Bell, along with her esteemed
colleague and good friend, Representative Dixon, championed many worthy causes,
including infrastructure improvements, senior citizens programs that for the
first time reached across racial lines, and many other public projects;
and
WHEREAS,
in 1989, Mrs. Bell received a mandate from the people of Garden City as she was
reelected with the highest vote of any councilmember, meaning that she became
mayor pro tem; it was another first for a black woman; and
WHEREAS,
in 1992, Mrs. Bell arranged for Councilman Gwyn Hall to be elected to the Garden
City Council; and
WHEREAS,
in a city that was over 70 percent white in 1989, her landslide only began to
show how widely her message continues to speak to people of all races;
and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell retired from the Garden City Council in 1995, the same year she ceased her nine years of service to the GMA Community and Human Development Policy Committee and to the GMA Women in Municipal Government Committee; while serving with the GMA, Mrs. Bell acted as 1st District president for 1992 and 1993; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bell retired from the Garden City Council in 1995, the same year she ceased her nine years of service to the GMA Community and Human Development Policy Committee and to the GMA Women in Municipal Government Committee; while serving with the GMA, Mrs. Bell acted as 1st District president for 1992 and 1993; and
WHEREAS,
in 1995, Mrs. Bell encouraged Representative Bob Bryant to seek a position on
the Garden City Council; the rest of that story is history; and
WHEREAS,
as her record indicates, Mrs. Bell is the dictionary definition of community
service: she has willingly and selflessly given countless years of her time,
energy, talent, and unfailing good humor to everyone and every cause imaginable;
and
WHEREAS,
she has been a tireless advocate of family and community involvement: she is
very active in the PTA, having been president of numerous parent-teacher
associations, she was runner up as "Mother of the Year," and she volunteered for
the March of Dimes, directed church choirs, taught upholstering, and
participated in numerous other worthy charitable activities; and
WHEREAS,
Viola Bell raised five wonderful children, and despite her share of burdens in
her life, she has handled all that has come her way with grace and dignity;
and
WHEREAS,
it is only fitting and proper that Viola Bell be recognized for her outstanding
good works; the people of her community would not be nearly as blessed in their
lives were it not for her efforts.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body do gratefully commend the Honorable Viola W. Bell and thank her on
behalf of the citizens of Garden City, Coastal Georgia, and the entire great
State of Georgia for all the hard work and dedication she has shown to her
community.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Honorable
Viola W. Bell.