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ProcCamatio'on HONORING WILLIAM HOLT -Whereas, Indian River County celebrates African American Pioneers who, through their service in the business, public, and elected arenas, have paved the way for this and future generations; and -Whereas, in 1992, William Holt was a founding member of the Education Foundation of Indian River County, which has helped thousands of students reach their full potential by funding programs and services that transform education and the classrooms where it occurs; and -Whereas, William incorporated Ross Small World Child Care Center to nurture hundreds of disadvantaged 0 -to -4 -year-old children in Gifford, a program so successful that he was asked to lead the Florida Head Start Program with its student enrollment of 38,000 and eventually become treasurer of the regional Head Start Association, covering agencies in eight southeastern states serving over 150,000 low-income children; and -Whereas, William was selected for the first School Readiness Coalition of Indian River County, providing parents with access to high-quality "early care" and education plus financial assistance for qualified families; and -Whereas, in 1994, William established the Certificate of Charter for the Gifford Central Little League Baseball Team and worked with the county recreation department to build a baseball field in Gifford; furthermore, he sponsored recreational football camps for more than 400 young players over a seven-year period, eventually assisting coach Billy Livings recruit over 100 players and a bevy of minority assistant coaches and mentors; and -Whereas, William was a co-founder of Every Dream Has A Price, Inc., which assists low-income families with either repairing their current homes or achieving the dream of first-time home ownership; additionally, he persisted over a two-year period in bringing the Family Dollar store chain into Gifford, "evening the playing field" for this low-income area and providing affordable shopping for those with less; and -Whereas, William was an instrumental liaison in the renaming of 45th Street in Gifford to Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, a visual reminder for our kids of a revered Black leader who stood for justice and fairness. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of In&an River County, Florida, that the pioneer spirit and civic contributions of William Holt have made a lasting impact on Indian River County and the Treasure Coast, and that the Board extends its sincere thanks for his outstanding efforts within our community. Adopted this 21 S` day of February, 2023. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA Joseph H. Earman, Chairman Susan Adams, Vice Chairman Joseph E. Flescher Deryl Loar Laura Moss 2