A house RESOLUTION

to Recognize and honor the GEMS of Aiken, the Aiken (SC) Chapter of The Links, Inc., and to congratulate the members for thirty-five years of significant service to the Aiken community and beyond.

Whereas, originally known as GEMS of Aiken, a group of twelve friends organized in 1982 to work toward improving the social, cultural, and civic needs of the Aiken community with a mission of service and friendship. As the GEMS' membership, presence, reputation, and service flourished in the community, they achieved interest group status with The Links, Inc.; and

Whereas, in early December of 1988, the group met with and hosted the CEO Visit Luncheon at Houndstake Country Club. The Aiken Chapter of The Links, Inc., was officially chartered April 22, 1989, with Beverly Clyburn as the charter president and with twenty-seven charter members; and

Whereas, the Aiken Chapter became the sixth chapter of The Links, Inc., in South Carolina and holds the distinction of being the first chapter to be chartered and installed in South Carolina in twenty-five years with the Orangeburg Chapter as its sponsoring chapter; and

Whereas, in 2013, the Aiken Chapter expanded to include the surrounding areas of Newberry, Greenwood, and Greenville counties and inducted six members from Cherokee Lakes Society; and

Whereas, the Aiken Chapter of The Links, Inc., has a thirty-five year tradition of promoting and engaging in educational, civic, and intercultural activities that enriches the lives of members of the Black community at large. The cornerstone of its service is five-faceted programming: Services to Youth, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services. Through these facets, programs and initiatives are implemented that address the most critical needs of underserved communities; and

Whereas, Services to Youth provides monthly mentoring at local schools; recognizes outstanding seniors in academics, arts, athletics, character, and service at an annual recognition day; awards more than five thousand dollars in scholarships and computers; and facilitates post high school services; and

Whereas, The Arts offers Art N Living Color, Art in the Park, and Artist Noire that envisions art through stained glass, while the Health and Human Services facet includes community health fairs, Go Red Luncheon, DONATE LIFE events to encourage organ donation, and Breast Cancer Walkathon; and

Whereas, through the National Trends and Services facet, GET OUT THE VOTE, Links at the Polls, and community awareness fairs are hosted, while education initiatives include the Truist Grant Healthy Homestead webinars and address a variety of topics such as tissue and organ donation, literacy, wills and estate planning, and heirs' property and forestry. The International Trends and Services facet includes the adoption and support of a school in Jamaica and Education Across the Miles; and

Whereas, the work of the Aiken Links Chapter was honored with the 2nd Annual "Drum Major" Award in 1990 from Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; the 1999 second place UMBRELLA at the 35th Southern Area Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina; the Southern Area Truist Grant through the Healthy Homestead Act; the 2010 Cluster Award from the Spartanburg Chapter; and the Southern Area Artist Noir Grant; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the community service of the Aiken Chapter, a solid chain of women linked in friendship and service with The Links, Inc., annually impacting the lives of more than three million people at home and abroad through more than one million documented hours of community service annually. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the GEMS of Aiken, the Aiken (SC) Chapter of The Links, Inc., and congratulate the members for thirty-five years of significant service to the Aiken community and beyond.

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