[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1992-E1993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING IRENE V. SHUMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 9, 1997

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an 
outstanding citizen of the 11th district on her 80th birthday. On 
October 22, 1997, Irene Shuman will celebrate her 80th birthday 
surrounded by many family and friends. Irene has been a member of the 
Glen Forest community for the past 42 years where she is known to and 
loved by everyone in the neighborhood.

[[Page E1993]]

  Irene is known as the ombudsman of the Glen Forest community and is 
often called the mayor of Glen Forest. She knows all of the children's 
names, she can tell you who lives where, and she knows everyone from 
the surrounding neighborhoods that work with the Glen Forest Civic 
Association. Irene's love for people has helped Glen Forest remain a 
tight knit community where the people look out for one another and work 
together to make the neighborhood a better place to live. She has been 
the keeper of the oral history of Glen Forest for more than 30 years 
and has passed on neighborhood legends to successive generations of 
children.
  Irene is and has been involved in every aspect of the Glen Forest 
community. She has been active in community affairs since the early 
1960's. For 15 years, she held the community rummage sale that raised 
money for the neighborhood pool. People would donate items for the sale 
throughout the year and Irene would sort and price them for the annual 
event. She has also run the summer program for Glen Forest for 28 
years. This duty includes the opening and closing pool picnics for 
which she buys and prepares 100 chickens. Irene has always done this 
because she believes it brings the community together. This is also why 
she has worked tirelessly to improve the community pool for the past 25 
years.
  Irene has mowed the pool lawn for the past 24 years and she is the 
oldest licensed pool operator in Fairfax County. Irene has maintained 
the pool by painting the bath houses inside and out every year as well 
as tarring and repairing the roof. Many in the community do not even 
know that she has done all of this, even though she hates to swim. 
Irene was also a mainstay of the Garden Club for the 20 years of its 
existence. Every year, no matter the weather, she sold Christmas 
wreaths to raise funds for the Garden Club.
  Irene's many accomplishments include work outside the Glen Forest 
Civic Association. She has worked with all of the Mason District 
supervisors to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the past 30 
years, including myself when I held that position from 1979 to 1991. 
Irene often appeared before the Board of Supervisors to testify about 
issues affecting the community. She has held the Membership Chair for 
the Civic Association for the past 10 years and has worked ceaselessly 
to keep the Glen Forest neighborhood a nice place to raise children. 
Irene helped keep Glen Forest Street from becoming a through street 
from Route 7 to Carlyn Springs Road so parents did not have to worry 
about speeding traffic when their children played outside. She also rid 
the neighborhood of a pornographic book store by going down to the 
store to confront the owners and customers.
  I know my colleagues will join me in saluting a woman who has made 
her neighborhood a beautiful and better place to live. Irene Shuman is 
a remarkable individual who has an energetic spirit that inspires those 
around her to become involved. I share the celebration of her 80th 
birthday and her lifetime of civic achievements.

                          ____________________