H 8461

2026 -- H 8461
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 LC006170
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  HOUSE RESOLUTION
  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
  Referred To: House read and passed
1WHEREAS, World Table Tennis Day is celebrated worldwide on April 23. Each year
2 registered events take place in over 90 countries as a celebration of the Olympic racket sport
3 which is one of the most popular participation sports in the world; and
4WHEREAS, World Table Tennis Day has been celebrated each year since 2015, bringing
5 together people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities in a spirit of fellowship, recreation, and
6 social connection; and
7WHEREAS, Table tennis is a uniquely accessible sport that can be played in schools,
8 homes, community centers, parks, senior centers, and recreation facilities, and can be enjoyed by
9 beginners and elite athletes alike; and
10WHEREAS, The sport has excelled in diversity and inclusivity with largely coed
11 competitive events, an active senior circuit, a strong paralympic presence, and events in the
12 Special Olympics; and
13WHEREAS, Rhode Island has a long history of influence within American table tennis,
14 including one of the oldest clubs in the US which has been running tournaments and leagues in
15 the State continuously since the 1930s; and
16WHEREAS, Rhode Island has a robust table tennis community, with an annual high
17 school championship, active college programs, and players of all ages and abilities who enjoy the
18 health benefits and enjoyment of playing the sport; and
19WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Table Tennis Association actively supports the
1 community through annual fundraising events, the Senior Olympics, and the RI High School
2 Championships; now, therefore be it
3RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
4 declares April 23, 2026, to be "World Table Tennis Day" in the State of Rhode Island and
5 encourages all Rhode Islanders to take advantage of the health benefits and camaraderie of
6 playing this enjoyable sport; and be it further
7RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
8 transmit a duly authorized copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island Table Tennis Association.
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LC006170
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