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TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR BARBARA MCCLAIN FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER UPON RECEIVING THE MCKAY BRABHAM BUILDING BRIDGES AWARD.
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are pleased to learn that the Columbia Community Mediation Center has selected Barbara McClain to receive the McKay Brabham Building Bridges Award; and
Whereas, it is appropriate that she is being recognized for more than fifty years of "building bridges" through her service to Columbia, to South Carolina, and to a broader world; and
Whereas, Barbara McClain helped to pioneer the Columbia Community Mediation Center when she served on the board of the agency which preceded it and also on the center's organizing board for a total of nine years; and
Whereas, in order to provide a safe, nonadversarial process for people to resolve their disputes quickly, confidentially, and inexpensively, Barbara McClain forwarded the mission of the Columbia Community Mediation Center, which is to help individuals and organizations resolve conflict, improve relationships, and strengthen community; and
Whereas, as a teacher and counselor in the Columbia public schools, she was especially effective during the period when racial integration first began in the schools; and
Whereas, on the board of the Young Women's Christian Association for thirty years, Barbara McClain served three times as its president, during which time she presided over racial integration of the association and the development of the residential safe house known as SisterCare; and
Whereas, she further served the families of South Carolina on the Columbia Council on Marriage and Family, the Columbia Pre-School Council, and the South Carolina Council for Children Under Six; and
Whereas, she also served her community as a board member of the South Carolina Mental Health Association longer than any other board member has ever served and as a board member of Richland County Mental Health Association, for a total of thirty years on the two boards; and
Whereas, from 1959 to 2007, she worked on numerous projects with the South Carolina Christian Action Council, and she helped to form the Baptist Alliance and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship on the state and national levels; and
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate express their profound appreciation for the service Barbara McClain has given to the citizens of South Carolina through her efforts with the Columbia Community Mediation Center. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize and honor Barbara McClain for more than fifty years of service to the citizens of South Carolina, and congratulate her upon receiving the McKay Brabham Building Bridges Award.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Barbara McClain.
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