HOUSE RESOLUTION HONORING THE 241ST BRISTOL FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND RECOGNIZING THE 2026 HONOREES, the official text

H8606 2026 -- H 8606 ======== LC006423 ======== STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026 ____________ H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N HONORING THE 241ST BRISTOL FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND RECOGNIZING THE 2026 HONOREES Introduced By: Representatives Donovan, Place, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Speakman, Boylan, Kennedy, Shallcross Smith, and Ajello Date Introduced: June 02, 2026 Referred To: House read and passed 1 WHEREAS, In 2026, the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of American 2 independence; and 3 WHEREAS, Since 1785, the Town of Bristol has proudly hosted the oldest continuous 4 Fourth of July celebration in the United States, reflecting the community’s longstanding 5 commitment to civic pride and public service; and 6 WHEREAS, The 241st Bristol Fourth of July Celebration will continue this remarkable 7 tradition in 2026, featuring concerts, cultural events, and the renowned Fourth of July Parade, 8 which serve as a unifying civic tradition that fosters community pride, honors the nation’s 9 founding principles, and brings together residents and visitors in celebration; and 10 WHEREAS, The following individuals are recognized for their leadership and service in 11 carrying forward the proud traditions of the Bristol Fourth of July Celebration and embodying the 12 spirit of patriotism, community, and civic engagement: 13 • Ana Barboza-Motta, General Chairwoman of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee, for 14 her exceptional leadership and work to organize this year’s celebration; and 15 • Thomas M. Carroll, 2026 Chief Marshal, in recognition of his lifelong commitment to 16 public service at the community, state, and national level and his civic engagement in Bristol; and 17 • Bishop Bruce Alan Lewandowski, CSsR, Interfaith Speaker, for providing an inspiring 18 message of compassion and shared humanity across spiritual and cultural traditions; and 19 • VFW Commander-in-Chief, Carol Whitmore, Patriotic Speaker, in recognition of her 1 36 years of distinguished service in the United States Army including her service in Iraq. 2 Commander Whitmore is the first woman and the first Iowan to hold the position of VFW 3 Commander-in-Chief; and 4 • Cristina Marino, Miss Fourth of July, and Sloane Tucker, Little Miss Fourth of July, 5 representing the next generation’s engagement with tradition and community; and 6 • Michael Hoffman, recipient of the Hattie Brown Award, for his deep and unwavering 7 commitment to community and charitable endeavors in grassroots service to the town and 8 residents of Bristol; and 9 WHEREAS, This year’s celebration also features active duty US Navy and US Coast 10 Guard vessels in Narragansett Bay, highlighting Rhode Island’s rich maritime legacy and its 11 ongoing relationship with the United States Coast Guard and Navy; and 12 WHEREAS, The members of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee and hundreds of 13 volunteers have worked diligently to make this event inclusive, joyful, and reflective of Rhode 14 Island’s values; now, therefore be it 15 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 16 honors the 241st Bristol Fourth of July Celebration and proudly recognizes the 2026 honorees for 17 their service, leadership, and embodiment of community spirit; and be it further 18 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 19 transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Ana Barboza-Motta, Thomas M. Carroll, 20 Bishop Bruce Alan Lewandowski, Commander Carol Whitmore, Michael Hoffman, Cristina 21 Marino, and Sloane Tucker. ======== LC006423 ======== LC006423 - Page 2 of 2