PRINTER'S NO. 1690
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 306
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY KANE, KEARNEY, CAPPELLETTI, A. WILLIAMS,
TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, MARTIN, COSTA AND HUGHES, JUNE 6, 2024
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, JUNE 6, 2024
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating June 10, 2024, as "Delco Day" in Pennsylvania.
2 WHEREAS, Each year on June 10, the residents of Delaware
3 County come together to celebrate the beloved community known as
4 "Delco" and to raise money for a local charity; and
5 WHEREAS, The true spirit of Delco residents is shown through
6 their resilience, compassion and ability to be united together
7 in the cause for common good; and
8 WHEREAS, The Delco Live Podcast created and hosts "Delco Day"
9 annually at a Delaware County business to help raise money for
10 neighbors and residents in need; and
11 WHEREAS, "Delco Day" uses all proceeds to support a chosen
12 charitable organization each year; and
13 WHEREAS, This year's event will raise money to support the
14 HEADstrong Foundation, an organization that works to improve the
15 quality of life for cancer patients and their families; and
16 WHEREAS, The HEADstrong Foundation purchased a home in
17 Swarthmore Borough and fully renovated the home to serve
 1 families affected by cancer on or after December 11, 2017; and
2 WHEREAS, The house is known as "Nick's House," after the
3 owner's son who passed away from cancer; and
4 WHEREAS, The house offers 2,555 complimentary nights of
5 comfort, support and respite annually for families displaced to
6 the Greater Philadelphia Region while seeking comprehensive
7 cancer care and potentially lifesaving clinical trials; and
8 WHEREAS, Famous Delco residents include:
9 (1) Ruth L. Bennett - Civic and Civil Rights Leader -
10 Ruth L. Bennett moved to the City of Chester in 1914. She was
11 a legendary civic and civil rights leader until her passing
12 in 1947. She served as the President of the Chester
13 Improvement Club. Ms. Bennett opened the Bennett House in the
14 City of Chester to provide housing and care to women and
15 girls that migrated to Chester from the South. Ms. Bennett
16 also started the Wilson Nursery to care for babies and
17 children in the City of Chester. Today, the Chester Housing
18 Authority's Ruth L. Bennett Homes honors their namesake's
19 passion and dedication to the community by continuing to
20 provide affordable housing to City of Chester residents.
21 (2) Fran Brill - Puppeteer, Actress - A puppeteer and
22 actress, Fran Brill was born in Chester. Best known for her
23 role on "Sesame Street," she created the characters Zoe,
24 Little Bird, Betty Lou and Prairie Dawn, and she even won an
25 Emmy Award for her work. She graduated from the Boston
26 University College of Fine Arts and debuted on Broadway in
27 1969. Ms. Brill went on to act in television shows like, "Law
28 and Order," "The West Wing" and "All My Children" to name a
29 few. She retired from "Sesame Street" and puppeteering in
30 2014.
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 1 (3) Tyreke Evans - Professional Basketball Player -
2 Tyreke Evans was born and raised in the City of Chester and
3 played basketball at American Christian Academy in Aston,
4 Pennsylvania. He was the MVP of the McDonald's High School
5 All American Game and a First Team Parade All American as a
6 high school student athlete. He played college basketball at
7 The University of Memphis where he earned numerous awards and
8 accolades. Tyreke played professional basketball for the
9 Sacramento Kings and won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award in
10 the 2009-2010 NBA season. He then went on to play for the New
11 Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers.
12 (4) Tina Fey - Comedian, Actress, Writer, Playwright,
13 and Producer - Tina Fey is an Upper Darby native and graduate
14 of Upper Darby High School. Ms. Fey starred on "Saturday
15 Night Live" (SNL) and was the show's co-host of the Weekend
16 Update sketch. She also served as the first female head
17 writer for SNL. Ms. Fey starred in the comedy sitcom, "30
18 Rock" and in numerous movies. Ms. Fey has won numerous
19 accolades and honors including Emmy Awards, Golden Globe
20 Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Writers Guild Awards, and
21 Producers Guild Awards. In 2019, The Guardian News proclaimed
22 Tina Fey as the Best Comedian of the 21st Century.
23 (5) Thomas Garrett - Abolitionist - Thomas Garrett was
24 born in Upper Darby in 1789. A member of a Quaker family, he
25 was raised an abolitionist and became especially devoted when
26 a servant was kidnapped and attempted to be sold as a slave.
27 Working out of Wilmington, Delaware, Mr. Garrett became a
28 prosperous business owner, but more importantly, was the
29 station master for the last stop of the Underground Railroad.
30 Even under stress from heavy fines, he continued his work up
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 1 until the abolishment of slavery after the Civil War and is
2 credited for assisting 2,500 slaves to freedom.
3 (6) Brendan Hansen - Olympic Swimmer - A former Olympic
4 swimmer born and raised in Havertown, Brendan Hansen is a
5 six-time Olympic medalist, winning three gold, one silver and
6 two bronze medals. He also set world records in both the 100-
7 meter and 200-meter breaststroke. In total, Mr. Hansen won 25
8 medals across major competitions such as the World Swimming
9 Championships, the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and the
10 Olympics.
11 (7) Billy "White Shoes" Johnson - Athlete, National
12 Football League (NFL) Player - Born in the Delaware County
13 Community of Marcus Hook, Billy "White Shoes" Johnson's
14 incredible speed helped him become a football legend. Mr.
15 Johnson led Delaware County in scoring his senior year as
16 Chichester High School's starting quarterback. Mr. Johnson
17 took his amazing talents and famous white shoes to Widener
18 University where he set many school records and earned
19 Associated Press All-American Football Team honors in 1972
20 and 1973. He left Widener to play for the NFL's Houston
21 Oilers and won team Most Valuable Player in his first year.
22 Mr. Johnson retired from the NFL in 1988. At the time of his
23 retirement, he was the NFL's all-time leading punt returner.
24 He earned a spot on the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
25 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
26 (8) The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. - Civil Rights
27 Leader, Minister, Peacemaker - Martin Luther King, Jr.,
28 attended the Crozer Theological Seminary in Upland, Delaware
29 County, for three years starting in 1949 and graduating in
30 1951. The seminary served as a training ground for students
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 1 for entry into the Baptist Ministries. Reverend King went on
2 to serve the civil rights movement as one of its most
3 prominent leaders, organizing marches and boycotts throughout
4 this nation. He had a tremendous positive and inspiring
5 impact on American politics and culture and is a key figure
6 in United States history.
7 (9) Jameer Nelson - Athlete and Sports Management - A
8 City of Chester native, Jameer Nelson is an established
9 athlete and first round draft pick in the 2004 National
10 Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Mr. Nelson played for six
11 NBA teams and most notably, the Orlando Magic. He was named
12 national college player of year in 2004 while at Saint
13 Joseph's University. Currently, he is the Assistant General
14 Manager for the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League.
15 (10) Mike Scioscia - Athlete - Mike Scioscia is a
16 Springfield High School graduate and first round draft pick
17 in the 1976 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. He had a long
18 and impressive history with the MLB, having been a catcher
19 for the Los Angeles Dodgers between the years 1980 and 1992.
20 Following his career as a catcher, Mr. Scioscia became a
21 manager for the Los Angeles Angels from 2000 through 2018. He
22 was the longest-tenured manager of MLB along with the second
23 longest out of the NFL, National Hockey League, NBA and MLB
24 combined.
25 (11) Wanda Sykes - Comedian, Actress, Writer, and
26 Activist - Wanda Sykes is a well-known actress, writer,
27 comedian and activist who lives in Media. Ms. Sykes has won
28 the American Comedy Award for "Funniest Female Stand-Up
29 Comic" and has been nominated for 14 Emmy Awards. She has
30 starred in more than 80 films and television shows while also
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 1 being a producer and writer for other projects. Most
2 recently, she co-hosted the 94th Academy Awards.
3 (12) Bill Whitaker - News Anchor and Journalist - Bill
4 Whitaker was raised in and received his primary and secondary
5 education in Media. Mr. Whitaker has been around the world
6 with CBS reporting on major stories, from the Fukushima
7 tsunami to Tiananmen Square protests and the Salt Lake City
8 Olympics. Mr. Whitaker also reported on the inauguration of
9 Nelson Mandela, as well as the funeral for him. He currently
10 works as a co-anchor on "60 Minutes";
11 and
12 WHEREAS, Delco has many residents and former residents that
13 have made a tremendous difference in the lives of Delco
14 residents, the people of Pennsylvania and the citizens of the
15 United States and the world; and
16 WHEREAS, In true Delco fashion, everyone, everywhere is
17 encouraged to yell on June 10, 2024, at the top of their lungs:
18 "DELCO RULES"; therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, That the Senate designate June 10, 2024, as "Delco
20 Day" in Pennsylvania.
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