Senate Resolution No. 1707

BY: Senator MURPHY

COMMEMORATING the 50th Anniversary of Reis Park,
and honoring Caroline Wright Reis posthumously upon
the occasion of her designation for special
recognition

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in acknowledging
significant milestones in the distinguished histories of its esteemed
entities; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to join the Somers
Library and the Somers Historical Society in honoring the late Caroline
Wright Reis and commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Reis Park to be
celebrated on Saturday, April 29, 2017; there will be a wide variety of
entertainment and activities, including tours of the Wright Reis
Homestead; and

WHEREAS, Caroline Wright Reis was born in 1880, the only child of
Samuel and Madeline Wright; and

WHEREAS, Caroline Wright Reis studied costume design and graduated
from Pratt Institute in 1902, when it was far from common for women to
attend college; and

WHEREAS, Caroline Wright Reis married in 1908 and returned to Somers
with her husband in 1912; she had previously been bequeathed her
family's ancestral farm and returned to run it successfully for many
years; and

WHEREAS, Caroline Wright Reis gave generously of her time and money
to countless organizations, including the Katonah Women's Civic Club,
Somers Protective Association, Somers Library, Somers Historical
Society, Somers Central School District, and many others; again, she was
a trailblazer as the only woman to serve in leadership positions for
many of these organizations; and

WHEREAS, In 1967, Caroline Wright Reis bequest her farmstead and its
contents to the Town of Somers, which she deeply loved, for
"recreational and academic purposes;" what is now known as Reis Park
continues to be the largest historic donation to the Town of Somers;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Reis Park, and to honor Caroline
Wright Reis posthumously upon the occasion of her designation for
special recognition; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Town of Somers.