RECOGNIZING THE EASTERSEALS/CAI VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE AND THE VOLLEYBALL AMBASSADOR, PENELOPE (PENNY) PRATZ IN THE 20TH YEAR OF DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN TEAM PARTICIPATION.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Poore & Rep. Phillips

Sens. Brown, Buckson, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lawson, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Richardson, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Bolden, Burns, Collins, Gorman, Gray, Heffernan, Hensley, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Morrison, Osienski, Romer, Ross Levin, Michael Smith, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 5

RECOGNIZING THE EASTERSEALS/CAI VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGE AND THE VOLLEYBALL AMBASSADOR, PENELOPE (PENNY) PRATZ IN THE 20TH YEAR OF DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN TEAM PARTICIPATION.

WHEREAS, Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore has been providing services and support to people with disabilities and their families for over 75 years, whether those disabilities occurred at birth or resulted from traumatic injury, disease, or the aging process; and

WHEREAS, Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore annually support thousands of children and adults through direct and indirect services such as physical, occupational and speech therapies, employment and adult day programs, caregiver services, and assistive technology; and

WHEREAS, the Easterseals/CAI Volleyball Challenge is in its 44

th

year, and since 2001, Easterseals has raised more than $6.4 million through the Volleyball Challenge, providing much-needed funding for services that benefit people with disabilities and senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, Delaware Democrat and Republican teams have engaged in friendly competition against one another for the past 19 years to raise awareness and generate funds for their great cause; and

WHEREAS, this year marks the 20

th

year where the Republicans and Democrats face each other on the court for this friendly competition to raise funds for Easterseals; and

WHEREAS,

the Delaware Democrat and Republican teams have collectively raised more than $70,298 in the last 19 years

; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Republican team is currently leading the Democrat team ten matches to eight matches; and

WHEREAS, ambassadors are selected annually to inform the public at the annual volleyball tournament about the important services provided by Easterseals; and

WHEREAS, the 2025 Volleyball Ambassador is Penelope “Penny” Pratz, a two-year-old receiving Physical Therapy and Early Childhood Education through Easterseals Children’s Therapy program.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153

rd

General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Easterseals/CAI Volleyball Challenge on March 8 at University of Delaware Carpenter Sports Building in Newark, DE receives appropriate recognition, and that the Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore Volleyball Ambassador, Penny Pratz, and her family receive the gratitude of the General Assembly.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Democrats and Republicans agree to field on the court more Delaware elected officials than non-elected persons as an effort to uphold the integrity of this contest and to ensure a fair outcome.

SYNOPSIS

This resolution recognizes the Easterseals/CAI Volleyball Challenge occurring March 8 at University of Delaware Carpenter Sports Building, an event that raises funds for an organization providing services and support to Delawareans with disabilities and senior citizens and their families.

Author: Senator Poore