Body
WHEREAS, Rodef Shalom Congregation's Pursuer of Peace Award, established in 2010, recognizes an individual or organization that, through actions and voice, has contributed significantly toward the pursuit of peace, social justice, and interfaith understanding; and
WHEREAS, on Sunday, June 10, William E. Strickland, Jr. will be honored as this year's Pursuer of Peace Award recipient, in recognition of his lifetime of achievements and his continuing commitment to bringing hope to all communities that he reaches; and
WHEREAS, Strickland is a visionary, an entrepreneur, and a humanitarian of the highest order, who, since the day he was inspired by his high school art teacher to begin an after-school arts program for inner-city children, has awed and inspired us with his passion, his vision, and his work; and
WHEREAS, Strickland's leadership of the Bidwell Training Center helped guide the City through difficult times and created a template for social change that evolved into the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, a national model for education, culture, and hope, which he now leads; and
WHEREAS, Strickland has, through his own work and through his dedicated pursuit of community partnerships, created an innovative vision of social change that has transformed Pittsburgh and empowered its residents.
Title
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby join Rodef Shalom Congregation in offering our profound thanks, gratitude, and recognition for Mr. Strickland's lifetime of service to our community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare June 10, 2012 to be "William E. Strickland, Jr. Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.