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2006 SPECIAL SESSION I
068046298WHEREAS, the Franklin County Retail Merchants Association is recognized for 50 years of outstanding service to the retail industry and the citizens of the Town of Rocky Mount and Franklin County; and
WHEREAS, founded in 1956 by a group of local merchants, the Franklin County Retail Merchants Association was first organized as the Credit Bureau of Rocky Mount; and
WHEREAS, local residents Lolene Hodges and later Reba Carter were hired to run the office; Kermit Salyer, owner of the Franklin News-Post, served as the first president; and
WHEREAS, in June 1963, Rudolph Haywood, the association president at the time, anticipated tremendous growth in retail and solicited the experience and expertise of Dorothy Cundiff of Pen Hook, who worked as a credit manager in Roanoke; and
WHEREAS, Dorothy Cundiff agreed to work in the Roanoke office until noon and open the credit bureau in Rocky Mount at one o'clock; and she quickly realized the organization's need for the expansion of services, and the Credit Bureau of Rocky Mount was incorporated and renamed the Franklin County Retail Merchants Association (FCRMA); and
WHEREAS, by the end of 1963, the FCRMA claimed a membership of 125 businesses, became accredited by the Credit Bureaus of America, and began processing credit reports across county and state lines; and
WHEREAS, part-time employees were employed and over the years Bonnie Walker, Mary Williams, Joan Thurman, Olivia Quinn, Nancy Perdue, and others worked diligently for the FCRMA, and in 1968 Dawn Wray, a new full-time employee, was hired; and
WHEREAS, the membership of the FCRMA grew and prospered, and the association moved several times until, in 1978 it moved to its permanent location on Floyd Avenue; and
WHEREAS, with a membership of over 600, the FCRMA has offered a group insurance program since 1975 and has evolved with the times, establishing a counseling service and an information center promoting members' services; and
WHEREAS, the FCRMA has sponsored the Christmas Parade since 1979 and since 1980, a community Fun Festival, featuring lively music, games, and a community auction and has orchestrated the Christmas Lighting program and supported town beautification projects and the Main Street revitalization program; and
WHEREAS, the FCRMA has been responsible for the continued operation of the local chapters of the American Red Cross, the United Way, and the Franklin County Historical Society in 2000; and
WHEREAS, since the founding of the FCRMA 50 years ago, the retail business in Franklin County has changed dramatically, and the association has continued to serve the community as a better business bureau by answering countless questions from visitors, citizens, and businesses and by providing an array of services and essential information; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate the Franklin County Retail Merchants Association on its 50 years of outstanding service; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Franklin County Retail Merchants Association as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for its dedication to the retail industry and the citizens of the Commonwealth.