WHEREAS, The annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival is a cherished tradition for the people of Pierce County and the Northwest; and
     WHEREAS, The mission of the Daffodil Festival is to focus national and regional attention on our local area as a place to live and visit, to give citizens of Pierce County a civic endeavor to "rally 'round," fostering civic pride, to give young people and organizations of the local area an opportunity to display their talents and abilities, to give vent to citizens' enthusiasm in parades, pageantry, and events, and to stimulate the business economy through expenditures by and for the Festival and by visitors attracted during Festival Week; and
     WHEREAS, 2004 marks the Seventy-first annual Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival; and
     WHEREAS, The Festival began in 1926 as a modest garden party in Sumner and grew steadily each year until 1934, when flowers, which previously had been largely discarded in favor of daffodil bulbs, were used to decorate cars and bicycles for a short parade through Tacoma; and
     WHEREAS, The Festival 2004 events are ongoing and will culminate in the April 17, 2004, Grand Floral Street Parade, winding its way from downtown Tacoma through the communities of Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting; and
     WHEREAS, This year's Festival royalty includes princesses Cassie Bushnell, Spanaway Lake High School; Rachael Norris, Sumner High School; Alayna Melton, Bethel High School; Malia Jensen, Curtis High School; Romelynn Eleno, Lakes High School; Andrea Simmons, Henry Foss High School; Janet Bautitsa, Franklin Pierce High School; Samantha Ottoson, Rogers High School; Leann Conley, Clover Park High School; Mallory Aldrich, Wilson High School; Rachel Abrahams, Eatonville High School; Meghan Swanlund, Emerald Ridge High School; Alli O'Malley, Puyallup High School; Amy Holmquist, Fife High School; Sarah York, Stadium High School; Brianna Backus, Orting High School; E'Braune Crowder, Mount Tahoma High School; Heidi Gummeringer, Washington High School; Sarah Stafford, Chief Leschi High School; and Amanda Sherve, Lincoln High School;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize and honor the many contributions made to our state by the Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival and its organizers for the past seventy-one years; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the 2004 Puyallup Valley Daffodil Festival Officers and to the members of the Festival Royalty.