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WHEREAS, Karissa Kunco was born and raised in the City of Pittsburgh's Brookline neighborhood; and,
WHEREAS, she was a vibrant and happy young woman with a caring soul and a smile that could light up a room; and,
WHEREAS, with a future full of promise, her life was tragically and senselessly cut short at the age of 21 by a horrendous act of domestic violence; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army was formed after Karissa's death by her loving father Paul Kunco and family and friends to keep her memory and voice alive, and to spread awareness of the issue of domestic violence; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army tirelessly advocates for Domestic Violence Awareness through public speaking, social media, and creative fundraisers; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army established an ever growing Facebook community of over 12,300 people, as a means of continuously spreading awareness and raising funds; and,
WHEREAS, their fundraising efforts range from their annual "Remember My Name, Be My Voice" spaghetti dinners, to motorcycle runs, fashion shows, and even Karissa's Little Soldier's Lemonade Stand, all raising funds for domestic violence prevention; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army has raised over $25,000 for the Women's Center and Shelter and other local Domestic Violence programs; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army has been nominated for multiple awards by local domestic violence programs,
WHEREAS, most recently Karissa's Army received the 2016 Ted Craig Humanitarian Award for "excellence and outstanding achievement in their mission, and an unsurpassed commitment to community service," from the Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, the highest honor bestowed upon a community partner by that organization; and,
WHEREAS, by turning tragedy into hope, Karissa's Army has likely saved the lives of countless victims of domestic violence whose names we may never know; and,
WHEREAS, Karissa's Army is a valuable asset to the community of Brookline, City of Pittsburgh, an...
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