H. Res. 336

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

January 29, 2002.

Whereas the House of Representatives has learned with great

sadness of the death of Dave Thomas from liver cancer

at the age of 69 on January 8, 2002;

Whereas Dave Thomas, born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on

July 2, 1932, and adopted shortly thereafter by Rex and

Auleva Thomas, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was a lifelong

advocate and activist for the cause of adoption;

Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1979, was awarded the Horatio

Alger Award for dedication, individual initiative, and a

commitment to excellence, as exemplified by remarkable

achievements accomplished through honesty, hard work,

self-reliance, and perseverance;

Whereas from 1990 until 2000 Dave Thomas was the national spokesman for numerous White House adoption

and foster care initiatives;

Whereas Dave Thomas received numerous awards, including

the Angel in Adoption Award by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, for generating awareness of the thousands of children waiting for permanent homes and loving families;

Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1992, established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and donated his speaking
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fees and profits from sales of his books, ‘‘Dave’s Way,

Well Done!’’ and ‘‘Franchising for Dummies’’, to adoption causes;

Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to work with national adoption organizations, individuals, and public and private agencies to

raise awareness about children awaiting adoption and to

provide direct support for programs seeking to find permanent homes for children in foster care;

Whereas Dave Thomas established the Dave Thomas Center

for Adoption Law to ease and facilitate the adoption

process through education, advocacy, and research;

Whereas Dave Thomas was a constructive force in shaping

corporate health policy to cover adoption expenses and,

through his efforts, 75 percent of Fortune 1000 companies now offer adoption benefits to their employees;

Whereas Dave Thomas received the 2001 Social Awareness

Award from the United States Postal Service for being

instrumental in the use of the Adoption Awareness postage stamp as a vehicle for highlighting the cause of adoption;

Whereas Dave Thomas founded Wendy’s Old-Fashioned

Hamburgers in Columbus, Ohio, on November 15, 1969,

and transformed it into one of the most successful food

franchises in the country and, in promoting Wendy’s, became a national figure representing a friendly face, good

food, and a kind sense of humor;

Whereas Dave Thomas, in 1993, 45 years after leaving

school, earned his GED certificate and received his high

school diploma from Coconut Creek High School in Fort
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Lauderdale, Florida, securing him as role model to students of all ages; and

Whereas Dave Thomas used his financial success to promote

and advance the cause of adoption: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes that America has lost one of its most

dedicated and hardest working advocates for adoption,

and honors him in his devotion to family, life, and business; and

(2) expresses its deep and heartfelt condolences to

the family of Dave Thomas on their loss.

Attest:

Clerk.