Rep. John Keenan Offers Remarks at 25th Anniversary
SALEM – Representative John Keenan (D-Salem) offered the following remarks at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Salem Harbor CDC this evening. Representative Keenan also presented the group with a resolution from the House of Representatives congratulating them on the advent of their anniversary and thanking them for their years of working to make Salem a better place to live and work for all of its citizens. Remarks of Represetnative John Keenan at the I’d like to thank Claudia Chuber for her kind invitation for me to join you this evening. I’d also like to thank Jim Haskell, Kim Lundgren, Nina Cohen, and Marcos Ortiz for their support and for their friendship. Congratulations to the Salem Harbor CDC for twenty five years of giving to Salem. You have given us affordable housing, so new and life-long residents alike can make a home here. You have given us business assistance, so that those looking to start a new business or maintain an existing one, can succeed here. And you have given us an enriched sense of community and civic pride, so we all can make a life here. The road to community-empowered, community-controlled economic development has not always been an easy one. The CDC has faced many challenges and many obstacles along the way. But it has always managed to turn those obstacles into stepping-stones to a new project, a new goal, or a new vision. Your ceaseless efforts in this have made Salem a better city. Last year during the campaign, I talked a lot about how I would be a representative for all of Salem – a voice for every neighborhood and family, regardless of race or income level. I’m proud to be at the State House as that voice today. It wouldn’t be right of me to say I was the first. For 25 years, the CDC has been the voice for those same workers and families; the representative for the too often-neglected communities within Salem. I am delighted to be able to be with you tonight to celebrate the last twenty-five years. I look forward immensely to seeing the Salem Harbor CDC grow and build an even better Salem over the next twenty-five years. Now I would like to read to you a resolution, passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives: ON THE OCCASION OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WHEREAS, THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS OBSERVING ITS TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY ON THE FIFTH OF MAY OF THIS YEAR; AND WHEREAS, THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY-BASED HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOUNDED BY CITIZENS OF SALEM IN 1979 IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR COMMUNITY; AND WHEREAS, THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS WORKED TO MAKE SALEM A BETTER PLACE THROUGH COMMUNITY CONTROL OVER HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SELF-DETERMINATION FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME RESIDENTS, AND VIABLE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEREAS, THE EFFORTS OF THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAVE BROUGHT THE PEOPLE OF SALEM AFFORDABLE RENTAL AND COOPERATIVE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP, SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER TRAINING, ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES ASSISTANCE, JOB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, CHILDCARE ENTREPRENEURS TRAINING, AND THE SALEM COMMUNITY CENTER; AND WHEREAS, IN CARRYING OUT THEIR ACTIVITIES, THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION HAS ENCOURAGED AND FOSTERED MUTUAL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING AMONGST DIVERSE GROUPS IN THE CITY OF SALEM THROUGH GRASSROOTS, COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HEREBY COMMENDS, CONGRATULATES, AND THANKS THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ON THE OCCASION OF ITS TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVESARY AND EXTENDS ITS BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ALL OF ITS WORTHWHILE ENDEAVORS; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED BY THE CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE SALEM HARBOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
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