SR221: SR221 Believe Greater Dalton; congratulate

This resolution from the Georgia Senate honors Believe Greater Dalton, a strategic planning initiative of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award. The award, created by the Georgia Council on Literacy, recognizes communities that build multi-organization partnerships lasting at least three years with a strategic plan and measurable literacy results. The resolution describes how Believe Greater Dalton has spent the past decade building partnerships, including a group called the B8 team, that includes Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, local colleges, healthcare providers, faith-based groups, and nonprofits, all working to help children read at grade level by third grade. The Senate formally commends the group and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send it a copy of the resolution. It does not change any Georgia law.

• Formally congratulates and commends Believe Greater Dalton for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award for literacy work.
• Recites the history and partnerships behind Believe Greater Dalton's decade of literacy efforts in the Dalton area.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Believe Greater Dalton.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement of recognition.

This resolution directly names Believe Greater Dalton, the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, and their listed partners, including Dalton Public Schools, Whitfield County Schools, Dalton State College, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, United Way, and local healthcare and faith-based organizations.

The resolution carries no legal effect and changes no Georgia law, but it gives official recognition from the Georgia Senate to a community literacy partnership, which can raise its public profile and support continued fundraising or partnership efforts in the Dalton area.

• The preamble explains the Georgia Reads Community Award, given to communities with sustained multi-organization literacy partnerships of at least three years with measurable results.
• The resolution identifies Believe Greater Dalton as a recipient of the award for improving school readiness and third grade reading proficiency.
• The resolved clause has the Senate congratulate and commend Believe Greater Dalton and other Georgia Reads Community Award recipients.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Believe Greater Dalton.

1. 2025-02-20Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)

• literacy
• Dalton Georgia
• education
• community awards