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2013 -- H 6150 | |
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LC02653 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
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IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
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JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013 | |
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N | |
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EXPRESSING OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF CHARLES M. | |
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BORDERS, JR. | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, and Winfield | |
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Date Introduced: May 21, 2013 | |
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Referred To: House read and passed | |
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WHEREAS, In 1925, Charles M. Borders, Jr., was born in his family’s farmhouse in |
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Foster, Rhode Island. He was raised working on the dairy farm and learned the values of hard |
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work and self-reliance in a farmhouse with no functional electricity; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles met his wife, Margery, in the 1940s while serving as a Missionary |
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in the Church of Latter Day Saints in Massachusetts and brought her back to Foster after their |
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marriage to settle on the family farm; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles and Margery Borders were very active in the Town of Foster, with |
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Margery serving as Town Council President, among other roles, and they always remained an |
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integral part of Foster’s small town life; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles Borders was appointed chairman of the bridge committee of Foster, |
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which was charged with building the first covered bridge on a state road in the State of Rhode |
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Island, the Swamp Meadows Bridge, which passes over the Hemlock Brook. The bridge was |
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dedicated on May 23, 1993; and |
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WHEREAS, The Swamp Meadow Bridge was burned to the ground by vandals later in |
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1993. Charles once again chaired the committee that was now organized to rebuild the bridge. |
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The community witnessed an outpouring of support from all over Rhode Island in the wake of the |
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bridge’s destruction. The bridge was rebuilt with all volunteers and rededicated in November of |
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1994; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles Borders was quoted in a short documentary as stating, “This is |
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Heaven on Earth, right here…” Time and again, he demonstrated his undying love of the town of |
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Foster, his beloved family farm, and all of the farms in the Town of Foster; and |
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WHEREAS, In order to preserve that “Heaven on Earth” for future generations, Charles |
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created the Borders Farm Preservation, Inc., in 2003 to ensure that his farm would remain after |
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his passing and not succumb to development. The Borders Farm Preservation, Inc., is now a |
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501c3 non-profit, and his land was purchased by the State of Rhode Island with grant and other |
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moneys to preserve the farm as an interactive museum of 20th Century New England farming and |
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a community farming, gardening, educational, and recreational resource; and |
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WHEREAS, The most recent recession in Rhode Island compelled Charles to dedicate an |
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entire field on his farm to be used as a “community garden” that would be tended to by volunteers |
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and whose produce would be donated to the town’s Food Pantry, as well as to other church |
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pantries throughout Foster; and |
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WHEREAS, Several years ago, Charles started to conduct an annual “September 11th |
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Memorial Service” on his farm, where he erected a flag pole that was anchored by two beautiful |
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grist mill stones. The local Boy Scouts would perform a flag raising ceremony, prayers would be |
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offered, patriotic songs sung, and words of remembrance shared; and |
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WHEREAS, On the morning of May 16, 2013, Charles M. Borders, Jr., passed away |
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peacefully at the age of 88 years in the very farmhouse in which he was born; now, therefore be it |
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RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
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Providence Plantations recognizes and mourns the loss suffered by the residents of Foster and the |
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entire State with the passing of Mr. Charles M. Borders, Jr. Rhode Island has lost a true paragon |
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of virtue. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire community; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. George E. Dixon, Vice President of The |
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Borders Farm Preservation, Inc. |
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LC02653 | |
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