[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_HR0027
LRB9204672RHrh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor milestones in the lives
4 of the citizens of the State of Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, For the past 56 Christmas seasons, longtime St.
6 Charles resident, John Forni, has visited Chicago-area
7 nursing homes, retirement facilities, hospitals and
8 children's homes as Santa Claus, lending an ear and sometimes
9 a lap as a labor of love; and
10 WHEREAS, It all started 56 years ago when John Forni
11 heard about a hospitalized young girl in the St. Charles
12 area; he rented a Santa suit visited her and found out that
13 she wanted a doll, so he went out and bought her a doll and
14 presented it to her; and
15 WHEREAS, For more than five decades and several Santa
16 suits later, John Forni still dresses up as Santa each
17 holiday season just to see the look in children's eyes as he
18 walks into a room; and
19 WHEREAS, After his first appearance, John Forni moved
20 into his role as the Fox Valley's Santa with gusto, taking
21 the initiative to tour hospitals on his own; and
22 WHEREAS, John Forni previously worked as a voluntary
23 firefighter for the Geneva Fire Department, and that
24 eventually led to the annual gig as Santa for the fire
25 department in St. Charles nearly 30 years ago; and
26 WHEREAS, Over the years portraying Santa Claus, John
27 Forni has worn out nearly five suits; on October 28, 2000
28 fellow St. Charles Park District board member, Clint Hull,
29 conducted a fund-raiser to raise money to purchase a new suit
30 for Santa Claus; in all, the majority of the money raised
31 went to buy John Forni a new suit, and the rest went to "Toys
-2- LRB9204672RHrh
1 for Tots"; and
2 WHEREAS, John Forni's portrayal of Santa Claus radiates
3 cheer; he listens patiently and never makes promises, a
4 policy that parents and others appreciate; and
5 WHEREAS, John Forni has promised that as long as he has a
6 Santa suit, he will be Santa Claus for many generations to
7 come; therefore, be it
8 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10 we congratulate John Forni for his dedicated 56 years of
11 portraying Santa Claus for the residents of St. Charles; and
12 be it further
13 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
14 presented to John Forni as an expression of our esteem.