* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL
Introduced by: President Young
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL concerning
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November 2 - Do It Now! Day - In Honor of the Life and Times of William Donald Schaefer - November 2, 1921 - April 18, 2011
FOR the purpose of declaring November 2, Do It Now! Day in Baltimore City, an annual citywide day of service and reflection in celebration of the birthday of William Donald Schaefer and in recognition of his indomitable spirit and life of selfless public service that, upon his passing, left his beloved Baltimore a much improved City and its residents aware that City Hall works to serve all; and providing for a special effective date.
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Recitals
The passing of William Donald Schaefer was memorialized by persons of all walks of life. Maryland's well-known politicos and ordinary citizens gathered one last time this past Wednesday for a memorial service to honor the life of the loveable curmudgeon who altered the sky scape of Baltimore City and changed the way its citizens perceived the role of City Hall.
In eulogy, a former Congressman brought both smiles and tears from those assembled and those listening to media coverage from afar, when he recalled: "Don Schaefer was a person who changed politics. He put a human face on it." A former close aid remarked that he was a father to his aides, determined to pull every "shred of untapped potential" out of them. Baltimore City, however, was his favorite child, and anyone who dared to speak negatively of it did so at their own peril.
After a three day send off that began with a tour of the City's landmarks that resulted from Schaefer's visionary genius and wove through the neighborhoods that he so truly loved, his casket was escorted to Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church from City Hall by police color guards, motorcycle units, and a pipe and drum corps where a crowd awaited his flag-draped coffin accompanied by a jaunty rendition of the "Stars and Stripes Forever" - a fitting tribute to a man who served his country in WWII, his City as Councilman, Council President, and Mayor, and the State of Maryland as Governor and Comptroller.
For more than 50 years of public service, William Donald Schaefer implored his staff to do their best at what he considered the most important part of public service - to help people. His service memorial "He Cares" : " To say he was not a typical politician is an understatement. But his populists antics (including wearing silly hats and jumping into the seal pool at the National Aquarium) were designed to engage citizens in their government. And they worked. Tens of thousands of people followed his lead and volunteered at events such as the Baltimore City Fair, community festivals, or neighborhood centers. As he left public office in 2007, he was asked how he'd like to be remembered. He summed up his 50 years of public service in two words: "He Cared." William Donald Schaefer cared about helping people."
Do it Now! Day pays tribute to a man who for so long poured his entire heart and soul into uplifting Baltimore. To be able to turn his birthday into a citywide day of service to the city he loved more than anything in this world is a perfect tribute.
SECTION 1. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That this Body hereby declares November 2, Do It Now! Day in Baltimore City, an annual citywide day of service and reflection in celebration of the birthday of William Donald Schaefer and in recognition of his indomitable spirit and life of selfless public service that, upon his passing, left his beloved Baltimore a much improved City and its residents aware that City Hall works to serve all; and providing for a special effective date.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution takes effect on the date it is enacted.
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