[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 81 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1258]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MRS. RUBY FITZGERALD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 16, 2005

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Ruby 
FitzGerald, a resident of Virginia's Eighth Congressional District that 
I am proud to represent. Mrs. FitzGerald has truly been a pillar of 
public service, devoting her career and herself to the betterment of 
our community. There are citizens who by their perseverance alone 
decide to make a difference, and she is certainly one.
  Perhaps Mrs. FitzGerald's most significant influence on the citizens 
and residents of the City of Alexandria comes from her two decades of 
volunteer service to public safety. Mrs. FitzGerald first began 
volunteering at the Alexandria jail, teaching art to inmates there. 
Later, in 1986, Mrs. FitzGerald volunteered for the Alexandria Police 
Department, working in the Crime Prevention Unit. Since the Volunteer 
Program was formalized in 1989, Mrs. FitzGerald has donated more than 
7,000 hours of service to the police department.
  In her regular assignment, Mrs. FitzGerald has handled hundreds of 
phone calls from people requesting crime prevention tips, neighborhood 
safety and information about youth programs. Because of her 
contribution of time and knowledge, citizens and business people 
received helpful assistance and crime prevention officers were free to 
be out in the community, conducting security surveys and increasing 
police presence.
  Mrs. FitzGerald's service was showcased in May of 2002 by United 
States Attorney General John Ashcroft. When Attorney General Ashcroft 
appeared in Alexandria to launch the ``Volunteers In Police Service'' 
(VIPS) initiative, he specifically recalled Mrs. FitzGerald's service 
and devotion, recognizing her volunteer work as an example for others 
to follow.
  In addition to her exceptional service to the police department, Mrs. 
FitzGerald organized an annual holiday party for children in need. For 
years, as part of the Alexandria Crime Prevention Council, Mrs. 
FitzGerald collected gifts and coordinated a holiday event for the 
city's young people. In 2000, Frances Becker of the Carpenter's 
Shelter, Northern Virginia's largest homeless shelter, wrote of Mrs. 
FitzGerald, ``You went above and beyond with your generosity and truly 
made each and every child feel the love and generosity of the Christmas 
holiday. We are so fortunate to have angels like you.'' Mrs. FitzGerald 
has been her neighborhood's lead organizer for National Night Out since 
it was started. Her local neighborhood street, Summers Drive, is always 
one of the best organized National Night Out events held in the city. 
Lastly, Mrs. FitzGerald worked on the Crime Prevention Month display at 
Landmark Mall when the Crime Prevention Council was working on that 
event. The council hosted this event for several years, discontinuing 
it only when the mall attendance was getting low.

  As if her work for the police department and children weren't enough, 
Mrs. FitzGerald has set up annual blood drives at police headquarters 
for as long as anyone can remember. She worked closely with the Red 
Cross and recruited dozens of donors every time.
  Mrs. FitzGerald is one of those incredibly gracious and modest people 
who give to others for the truest of reasons, because she really, 
really cares. Mr. Speaker, the people of Virginia's Eighth 
Congressional District are losing Mrs. FitzGerald as she returns to her 
home state of Montana. That state is fortunate to inherit a gem of a 
person. We wish her the best of luck in all of her future endeavors, 
and thank her one last time for blessing our community.

                          ____________________