By Brian Trompeter
Sports teams, former elected officials, non-profit groups, a Scout troop and several late notables were among dozens lauded by local House of Delegates members with resolutions passed during this year’s General Assembly session.
Lawmakers passed resolutions introduced by Del. Marcus Simon (D-Falls Church). Among them:
• Christopher Fay, who retired in September 2023 after 17 years as executive director of non-profit group Homestretch.
• The Northern Virginia Mental Health Foundation, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023.
• Andrew Edgerton, chief pilot of the Fairfax County Police Department’s Helicopter Division, who this year received the Salute to Excellence Law Enforcement Award from Helicopter Association International.
• Former Falls Church Mayor P. David Tarter, during who tenure the city obtained several businesses and developments, its first-ever AAA bond ratings from all three agencies and a new, state-of-the-art high school financed from revenues from the West Falls Development Project.
• Carol DeLong, the first-ever female mayor of Falls Church, who died Dec. 9, 2023. DeLong previously had served as vice mayor and as a Falls Church City Council member.
• Mary Gavin, who retired Jan. 6 after 11 years with the City of Falls Church Police Department. Gavin previously had served for 22 years with the Arlington County Police Department.
State lawmakers passed these resolutions from Del. Rip Sullivan (D-McLean) lauding:
• Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, which is celebrating its centennial this year.
• The McLean High School softball team, which last year won the Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship. The victory was the second state title in the program’s history.
• Iridium Communications Inc., which last year celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Iridium Network of satellite communications.
• Marie Ridder of McLean, a journalist and environmental conservationist who celebrated her 99th birthday on Jan. 27 this year.
• The Langley High School boys’ swim-and-dive team, which on Feb. 16 this year won its second consecutive state title with a victory in the Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship.
• Boy Scout Troop 128, which is the oldest Scout troop in McLean and celebrated its centennial in February this year.
• Walter Marston Jr., a longtime member of Richmond’s legal community who died on Jan. 12 this year.
Del. Holly Seibold (D-Vienna-Tysons) had resolutions passed that commended:
• Social4Good, an organization that educates and empowers women in Northern Virginia, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year.
• Former Del. Mark Keam (D-Oakton-Vienna), who stepped down in September 2022 to take a job in the Biden administration.
• The Oakton High School Marching Band, which this year won a grand prize in the For Whom the Band Tolls! competition.
• Rustic Love, a Vienna non-profit group that since 2020 has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to address food insecurity in the region.
• The Women’s Center, which recently moved to Tysons, for its 50 years of service to the Northern Virginia community.
• The James Madison High School girls’ basketball team, which in March 2023 won the Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship.
• Simone Bergeron, a former James Madison High School student who last June won her second consecutive individual state title at the Virginia High School League Class 6 state tennis championship.
• The James Madison High School baseball team, which last June won the Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship.
• Belong!, a Vienna non-profit group that since 2017 has empowered under-served communities in the region.
• Peggy James, who serves as executive director of both the Vienna and Greater Merrifield business associations.
• The James Madison High School boys’ lacrosse team, which last June won the Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship.
• Fairfax Diapers, which raises awareness of diaper insecurity and collects and donates diapers to people in need.
• Caffè Amouri, which since 2010 has become a beloved coffee shop in Vienna.
• The Vienna Arts Society, which for 50 years has increased access to the arts in Vienna.
