[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 24, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1408]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE 2017 FAIRFAX COUNTY VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS

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                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 24, 2017

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Volunteer 
Fairfax and express my sincere appreciation to recipients of the 25th 
Annual Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards.
  Established more than 40 years ago, Volunteer Fairfax matches the 
skills and interests of thousands of volunteers with the needs of local 
non-profit organizations. The success of this model and its impact on 
delivery of needed services is beyond question; Volunteer Fairfax has 
been rated as one of the most effective community service organizations 
in the nation.
  Last year alone, over 15,000 individuals volunteered directly through 
Volunteer Fairfax; an additional 1,700 employees volunteered through 
their employer's BusinessLink program and the value of volunteer 
services provided exceeded $4.5 million.
  Each year, Volunteer Fairfax selects a few exceptional individuals, 
groups, or organizations to receive special recognition. It is my great 
pleasure to include in the Record the following names of the 2017 
Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards honorees:
  Community Champions:
  Braddock District: David Curtis
  Dranesville District: Penny Halpern
  Hunter Mill District: Raul and Maria Garza-Chapa
  Lee District: Michel Margosis
  Mason District: Gail Coleman
  Mount Vernon District: Whitney Minnich
  Providence District: Friends of Oakton Library
  Springfield District: John Pellegrin
  Sully District: Karrie Delaney
  At-Large: John K. Wood
  Adult Volunteer 250 Hours & Over: Gary Pan
  Adult Volunteer 250 Hours & Under: Kate Walter
  Adult Volunteer Group: Friends of Huntley Meadows
  Corporate Volunteer Program: Deloitte LLP
  Fairfax County Volunteer: Karla Jamir
  Fairfax County Volunteer Program: CERT
  Family Volunteer: Young Family
  Integrate Individual: Carolina Calderon
  Lifetime Achievement: Marie Monsen
  Rising Star: Shannon Dart
  RSVP Northern Virginia: Denise Mackey-Smith
  Senior Volunteer: Bard Jackson
  Volunteer Program: Wolf Trap First Time Campers Program
  Youth Volunteer: Emma Houston
  Youth Volunteer Group: Stony Brook Jr. Volunteers
  In addition, Benchmark Honors will be awarded in four different 
categories to commend those who have contributed 100, 250, 500, or 
1,000 hours of volunteer time to our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending Volunteer 
Fairfax for its decades of outstanding community service. I 
congratulate the recipients of the 2017 Fairfax County Volunteer 
Service Awards and thank them and the thousands of other local 
volunteers for their incredible contributions to our community. Their 
selfless dedication is worthy of our highest praise and is one of the 
main reasons that our community is often ranked as one of the best 
places in the country to work, and raise a family.

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