[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     RECOGNIZING THE 2024 HERNDON-RESTON ROTARY CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2024

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 2024 Herndon-
Reston Rotary Citizen of the Year, Renee Gorman.
  Every year, the Herndon-Reston Rotary Club selects an extraordinary 
individual who has made significant contributions to our community. 
This year marks Rotary's 55th year of celebrating incredible citizens 
in the Northern Virginia area. After decades of recipients, the 
Herndon-Reston Rotary has no shortage of deserving candidates, and this 
year's honoree is proof of that.
  Renee Gorman, this year's Citizen of the Year, is someone who has 
made an incredible impact and difference in our community for decades. 
As the mother of three daughters, helping children feel confident and 
have healthy self-esteem has been Renee's job for the last 25 years. 
Renee was a School Counselor for over 20 years where she was able to 
advocate for children and help them feel socially and emotionally 
strong.
  In her work with children in school, Renee realized that more could 
be done for the children and their families in our community. She began 
working with a non-profit, Code 3 Association, to forge positive 
relationships between the police department and local at-risk 
communities. The success of this program was featured in the Washington 
Post and Associated Press and helped inspire Renee to go further to 
address the emotional needs of young children in the community she 
witnessed daily through her work as a school counselor.
  Renee, and a group of teachers and social workers in Herndon, 
recognized an urgent and growing need to provide support to young girls 
in the community, many of whom were suffering as a result of poverty 
and trauma. What started as an after-school program became She Believes 
in Me (SBIM), a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming our 
community and the lives of the children in Northern Virginia.
  SBIM knows that every child can have the skills and resources to 
thrive. This primarily volunteer-run organization serves vulnerable 
children and their families who face a wide variety of challenges on a 
daily basis. When parents are focused on providing the very basic 
necessities for their children, they often need a little extra help. 
SBIM provides nutritious food and a healthy support system for the 
entire family. They teach children to handle conflict, manage emotions, 
overcome setbacks, and build meaningful relationships. Renee has spent 
decades focusing on not just the physical health of children, but their 
emotional and mental well-being, and that is at the core of SBIM's 
mission.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Renee 
Gorman on this incredible award and thanking her for her committed and 
selfless service to our community. Renee has impacted countless lives 
in her time in the schools and now continues to expand that impact 
through She Believes in Me. Families in our community will have a 
brighter future because of dedicated individuals like Renee Gorman.

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