2005 SESSION

INTRODUCED REPRINT

058403222 INTRODUCED 1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 827 2 Offered January 21, 2005 3 Commending Aaron Brooks. 4 ±±±±±±±±±± Patrons±±BaCote, Albo, Alexander, Armstrong, Barlow, Black, Brink, Carrico, Cosgrove, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Hamilton, Hull, Joannou, Melvin, Moran, Oder, Orrock, Phillips, Rust and Stump; Senator: Williams 5 ±±±±±±±±±± 6 WHEREAS, Aaron Brooks, a native of Newport News and a graduate of the University of Virginia, 7 has emerged over the past few seasons as one of the brightest young stars in the National Football 8 League (NFL); and 9 WHEREAS, drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1999, Aaron Brooks was traded to the New 10 Orleans Saints in 2000, and by late in the 2000 NFL season, had taken over the starting quarterback 11 position for the Saints; and 12 WHEREAS, Aaron Brooks has started more than 50 regular season games for the New Orleans 13 Saints and already ranks among the top three in team history in numerous offensive categories; and 14 WHEREAS, from the beginning of his professional football career, Aaron Brooks has shown a 15 determination to contribute to his community and has consistently demonstrated leadership and 16 generosity; and 17 WHEREAS, Aaron Brooks, a mentor with the Hometown Huddle-Big Brother/Little Brother program 18 for several years, participated in events to benefit Children©s Hospital of Louisiana, held a summer 19 football clinic in 2003, and participated in the team©s Taste of the Saints fund-raiser for Second

20 Harvesters Food Bank; and HJ827 21 WHEREAS, Aaron Brooks also created the Aaron Brooks Family Foundation, which supports 22 literacy and the arts through its Read to Pass summer reading program, the Waldo Burton Boys Home, 23 and Brooks Outreach Libraries; and 24 WHEREAS, the New Orleans Read to Pass program inspired 10,000 local youths to read 80,000 25 books over the summer months, and in 2004 Aaron Brooks expanded the program to Virginia in a joint 26 partnership with the Cities of Hampton and Newport News; and 27 WHEREAS, in late 2004, Aaron Brooks published his children©s book, Rise Above, and is sponsoring 28 an essay contest in collaboration with Reading is Fundamental, which annually provides more than 16 29 million books to some five million young people; and 30 WHEREAS, in recognition of his outstanding community service activities, Aaron Brooks received 31 the National Quarterback Club©s Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2004 and was recently named the 32 New Orleans Saints Man of the Year; now, therefore, be it 33 RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby

1:17 34 commend Aaron Brooks on his outstanding National Football League career and on his numerous and 35 ongoing community service activities; and, be it 36 RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution

3/25/10 37 for presentation to Aaron Brooks as an expression of the General Assembly©s admiration and best 38 wishes.