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Rowlett City Council issues series of April proclamations honoring veterans, libraries, autism acceptance and child-abuse prevention
Summary
At its April 1 meeting, the Rowlett City Council presented proclamations recognizing a local centenarian, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, National Library Week, Autism Acceptance Month (with water-tower lighting April 2), and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The Rowlett City Council on April 1 presented five community proclamations, honoring a 105-year-old local resident, marking Vietnam War Veterans Day, declaring National Library Week, recognizing April as Autism Acceptance Month with a planned April 2 water-tower lighting, and designating April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
The presentations opened with Councilmember Britton introducing the Rowlett Centurion Club’s first honoree, Maria Brookshire Davis, who turned 105 on Feb. 3, 2025. The proclamation noted Davis’ long career in Garland schools, more than 50 years teaching Sunday school, and her ties to Rowlett. A family member accepting the recognition said the family is “very grateful for this recognition of our mother,” and described her decades of service to education and faith.
The council also read a proclamation marking March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Deb Schindler framed the recognition with national statistics and personal remarks about the lasting effects of war on veterans.
The council proclaimed April 6–12 as National Library Week. Laura Turner, Library Services Director, told the council “the point is celebrating over 130,000 people visiting the library last year” and encouraged donations for Library Giving Day and participation in library programs.
For Autism Acceptance Month the council proclaimed April as a month to shift from awareness to acceptance and announced the downtown water tower will be lit in blue on April 2 for World Autism Awareness Day. Miranda Conchie, founder of the nonprofit Sensory Tent Pals, said, “Acceptance means moving beyond mere recognition to actively embracing and valuing autistic individuals for who they are,” and described the city’s sensory tent at events intended to increase access for neurodiverse residents.
The council closed the proclamation sequence with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Patricia Mahia, president and CEO of the Children’s Advocacy Center for Rockwall County, said awareness outreach matters because child abuse is often unrecognized: “But the sad reality is that it rages in the background of our lives as a seemingly and often unrecognized and underreported crisis.” Local partners cited in the proclamation include the Children’s Advocacy Center for Rockwall County, Rockwall County Department of Family and Protective Services, The Rainbow Room, Lone Star CASA and Empower.
None of the proclamations required a separate council vote; they were presented and accepted during the ceremonial portion of the April 1 meeting. Several speakers encouraged residents to participate in upcoming library and community events and to use local services for children and families in need.
Looking ahead, the council noted related community events and programs — library giving day, summer reading registration, and local child-advocacy resources — and encouraged residents to consult the city website for details.
