[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 93 (Friday, May 27, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING LOVEY HAMMEL AND DENISE McPHAIL AT THE 12TH ANNUAL HYLTON 
                        CENTER ANNIVERSARY GALA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 27, 2022

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the honorees 
of the 12th Annual Hylton Center Gala, Lovey Hammel and Denise McPhail, 
who have demonstrated incredible dedication and service to The Hylton 
Performing Arts Center. The Hylton Performing Arts Center serves to 
enrich, entertain, and celebrate the community through arts and 
educational programs. The Hylton Performing Arts Center provides a 
variety of cultural experiences for all ages, and we are thankful to 
have this Center in our community.
  Lovey Hammel has served as the President of Employment Enterprises, 
Inc. for more than forty years, working to ensure everyone has the 
skills and opportunities they need to succeed in Northern Virginia. She 
worked tirelessly throughout her educational career and has given back 
to these institutions, including the Mason Board of Visitors, to which 
Governor Tim Kaine appointed her. Lovey has also served as the Chair of 
both the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce and the Northern 
Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
  Her family has been dedicated to the Hylton Center before its 
conception. Lovey's mother, the late Jana Yeates, served as the 
Marketing and Outreach Committee Chair on the initial campaign to bring 
the Center into reality. As a display of their love for the performing 
arts and the work they put into creating the Hylton Center, Lovey's 
parents generously gave to the Center to name the Lovey Hammel Lounge 
in their daughter's honor. She and her family are landmark members of 
the Hylton Center's legacy.
  Denise McPhail is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the 
Creative and Performing Arts Center, Inc. (CAPAC), a position she has 
proudly held for years. CAPAC serves as a bridge to connect underserved 
communities with access to and inclusion in the performing arts. Under 
Denise's leadership, CAPAC has helped hundreds of students experience 
the thrill of performance.
  After more than thirty years of civil service, Denise has retired, 
but her commitment to the Hylton Performing Arts Center has not 
wavered. She supported the Center before the ground was even broken, 
wowing audiences with CAPAC performances at the outset of Hylton's 
construction. As a current member of the Center's Executive Board, 
Denise continues to enshrine Northern Virginia's dedication to the 
arts, and this honor could not be more fitting for a woman of her 
commitment and expertise.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending this 
year's Hylton Center honorees. Lovey Hammel and Denise McPhail have 
dedicated themselves to making the arts accessible and remain 
invaluable members of the Northern Virginia community.

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