| R 252 |
| 2026 -- H 8461 Enacted 04/16/2026 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING APRIL 23, 2026, TO BE "WORLD TABLE TENNIS DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Hopkins, Chippendale, Blazejewski, Nardone, Roberts, Fascia, Place, Paplauskas, Santucci, and J. Brien |
| Date Introduced: April 16, 2026 |
| WHEREAS, World Table Tennis Day is celebrated worldwide on April 23. Each year |
| registered events take place in over 90 countries as a celebration of the Olympic racket sport |
| which is one of the most popular participation sports in the world; and |
| WHEREAS, World Table Tennis Day has been celebrated each year since 2015, bringing |
| together people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in a spirit of fellowship, recreation, and |
| social connection; and |
| WHEREAS, Table tennis is a uniquely accessible sport that can be played in schools, |
| homes, community centers, parks, senior centers, and recreation facilities, and can be enjoyed by |
| beginners and elite athletes alike; and |
| WHEREAS, The sport has excelled in diversity and inclusivity with largely coed |
| competitive events, an active senior circuit, a strong paralympic presence, and events in the |
| Special Olympics; and |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island has a long history of influence within American table tennis, |
| including one of the oldest clubs in the US which has been running tournaments and leagues in |
| the State continuously since the 1930s; and |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island has a robust table tennis community, with an annual high |
| school championship, active college programs, and players of all ages and abilities who enjoy the |
| health benefits and enjoyment of playing the sport; and |
| WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Table Tennis Association actively supports the |
| community through annual fundraising events, the Senior Olympics, and the RI High School |
| Championships; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| declares April 23, 2026, to be "World Table Tennis Day" in the State of Rhode Island and |
| encourages all Rhode Islanders to take advantage of the health benefits and camaraderie of |
| playing this enjoyable sport; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly authorized copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Table Tennis Association. |
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| LC006170 |
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