SJR 28

SJR28 ENROLLED
1 SJR28
2 XD51NEZ-2
3 By Senators Butler, Melson, Orr
4 RFD: Rules
5 First Read: 29-Jan-26
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  SJR28 Enrolled
1 Enrolled, An Act,
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4 SJR___ COMMENDING SANDRA THOMPSON FOR HER OUTSTANDING
5 LEADERSHIP AS DIRECTOR OF THE ALABAMA VETERANS MUSEUM AND
6 ARCHIVES.
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8WHEREAS, it is with profound appreciation and deepest
9 admiration that we recognize Sandra "Sandy" Thompson for 17
10 years of steadfast service and exemplary leadership as
11 Director of the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives; and
12WHEREAS, open in Athens since 2000, the Alabama
13 Veterans Museum and Archives (AVMA) is dedicated to the
14 memory of veterans from Alabama who served in all branches
15 of the United States Armed Forces; and
16WHEREAS, due to Sandy's calm, innovative, and highly
17 efficient guidance, the past 17 years have been filled with
18 numerous accomplishments at the museum; her positive,
19 persuasive nature has been a tremendous tool in sustaining
20 the AVMA, which is now home to 2,000 artifacts belonging to
21 local veterans both past and present; the collection
22 includes uniforms, medals, weapons, photographs, and books
23 from all major American wars; and
24WHEREAS, Sandy's job performance has exceeded
25 expectations; the AVMA mainly relies upon donations and
26 daily volunteers, and she is the only paid staff member;
27 under her leadership, the museum continues to succeed and
28 grow, due largely to Sandy's encouragement of others in
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29 order to accomplish a mission; and
30WHEREAS, moving the museum from the Louisville and
31 Nashville Railroad Depot to its current location in the
32 larger Limestone County Events Center was indeed a great
33 challenge; however, Sandy, who is a retired Air Force Master
34 Sergeant with 20 years of service, met the challenge head-on
35 while organizing, planning, and executing the move in a
36 seamless fashion; her leadership style is commendable; and
37WHEREAS, her ability to interact with elected
38 officials at the city, county, and state levels is another
39 positive attribute; she is well respected within the
40 business and political communities, and she has been very
41 connected in getting the community involved with the museum
42 as a whole; and
43WHEREAS, under Sandy's direction, the museum has
44 sought to institute a variety of programs and activities to
45 bring in more members for the Alabama Veterans Museum
46 Foundation, raise funds, and increase the number of tourists
47 visiting the museum; some of these new activities include
48 blood drives, an annual fish fry, political rallies,
49 military shows, and participation in a yearly Veterans Day
50 Parade; these efforts also include a variety of successful
51 memorial programs; and
52WHEREAS, Sandy has also helped initiate two of the
53 most popular fundraisers for the museum, such as the
54 "Threads of Honor" program allowing patrons to donate money
55 to have veterans' names and other military information
56 hand-stitched by local quilters into a quilt that hangs in
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57 perpetuity in the museum in their honor, and the monthly
58 "Coffee Call" offering visitors and locals the opportunity
59 to meet and talk with veterans while enjoying a free
60 breakfast; each event is sponsored by a local business or
61 group of veterans or civilians in honor of the men and women
62 who gave their lives in the service of the United States
63 Armed Forces; and
64WHEREAS, Sandy Thompson has indeed left big
65 footprints to fill upon her retirement as Director of the
66 Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives; museum officials
67 estimate that more than 12,000 individuals visit the AVMA
68 each year; shortly after Sandy became Director, the Alabama
69 Mountain Lakes Association honored the AVMA with the 2009
70 PEAK Award as Attraction of the Year for contributing to
71 tourism in North Alabama; now therefore;
72BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
73 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That we hereby most highly
74 commend Sandra "Sandy" Thompson for her faithful devotion to
75 her community and to honoring Alabama's veterans, and we
76 extend to her our heartfelt gratitude and sincere best
77 wishes for continued health, happiness, and fulfillment in
78 her future endeavors.
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85________________________________________________
86President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
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90________________________________________________
91Speaker of the House of Representatives
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94 SJR28
95 Senate 29-Jan-26
96 I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
97 passed the Senate.
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99Patrick Harris,
100Secretary.
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105 House of Representatives
106 Passed: 05-Feb-26
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111 By: Senator Butler
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