Title
Proclamation celebrating the 40th anniversary of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.
Body
WHEREAS, for the past 40 years, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild has provided a unique, minority-focused arts and education center to the City of Pittsburgh's urban communities; and
WHEREAS, in Pittsburgh's North Side in 1968, Bill Strickland created the organization to encourage children to focus on pursuing their artistic abilities and developing their characters during a time of racial and economic turmoil in Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, the guild grew substantially in the mid-1980s when Mr. Strickland became the leader of the vocational education program, Bidwell Training Center, and integrated the program with Manchester Craftsmen's Guild into a state-of-the-art vocational training and arts center; and
WHEREAS, the ever-expanding model set forth by the association has inspired not only a local audience, but also a national audience of leaders to develop similar corporations to help enrich their communities; and
WHEREAS, through successful growth as a non-profit organization during its impressive existence, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild has held steadfast to its commitment to educating and inspiring Pittsburgh's urban youth;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Allegheny County Council, on behalf of the residents of Allegheny county, celebrates Manchester Craftsmen's Guild's 40th anniversary in the City of Pittsburgh. Furthermore, we wish them success throughout their exciting future.