R 382

2017 -- H 6387 Enacted 09/19/2017

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

DECLARING OCTOBER 7, 2017, TO BE "REVEREND DR. SAMMY C. VAUGHAN DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives Casey, Morin, Phillips, Keable, and Shekarchi

Date Introduced: September 19, 2017

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Sammy C. Vaughan was born in Brooklyn, New York, and

raised in Franklin, Virginia. He was baptized at the age of 9 at the First Baptist Church of

Franklin, Virginia. He attended both elementary and high school in the city and graduated from

Hayden High School in 1948; and

WHEREAS, Shortly after graduating from high school, Reverend Vaughan joined the

United States Navy, and served our nation with honor and distinction for 22 years, retiring in

1969 as a Chief Aviation Storekeeper. He served our nation during the Korean and Vietnam Wars

and is the recipient of four Good Conduct Medals; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Vaughan graduated from Providence College in 1976 with a

Bachelor of Science degree in Hospital Administration. He is the retired Corporate Director of

Community Relations/EEO of the Lifespan Health Care System of Providence. He was employed

at Rhode Island Hospital and Lifespan Health Care System for more than thirty-five years, until

his retirement; and

WHEREAS, In 1990, Reverend Dr. Vaughan earned a Master's degree in Religious

Education from the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and in 1997, he earned a Doctor of

Religious Education degree from the Andersonville Theological Seminary. He was licensed to

preach the Gospel on April 24, 1983, and was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel on January 31,

1988. For the past thirty-four years, and particularly the past twenty-eight years as Senior Pastor

of Saint James Baptist Church, Reverend Vaughan has served the greater community with

passion and devotion, bringing the good news of God's love, grace, spirit and truth on a daily

basis to people from all walks of life; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Vaughan has served as the Past President of the United

Baptist Convention for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. He has also served as

a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Development Center of Greater Woonsocket,

as a member of the Corporation of Women and Infants Hospital, as President of the Minister's

Alliance of Rhode Island, and as a Chaplain for the Woonsocket Police Department. He is also a

Past Grand Master, Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Jurisdiction of Rhode Island, a Grand Prior,

Council of Deliberation, a Thirty-Third degree Prince Hall Mason, and a member of the United

Supreme Council, Northern Jurisdiction; and

WHEREAS, The Reverend Dr. Vaughan was married for sixty-three years to the late

Gwendolyn E. Maynard of Providence. He has three sons and a daughter, six grandchildren, and

five great-grandchildren; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby declares October 7, 2017, to be "Reverend Dr. Sammy C. Vaughan

Day" in the State of Rhode Island. We furthermore thank him for his service to our nation in the

United States Navy, and for his many decades of distinguished public and community service to

the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Reverend Dr. Sammy C. Vaughan.

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LC003009

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