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2006 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 224
Commending Alice Coles.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 3, 2006
Agreed to by the Senate, February 9, 2006

 

WHEREAS, Alice Coles, an admired citizen and community advocate, is recognized for her leadership and remarkable achievement in helping to save her beloved community of Bayview on the Eastern Shore of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in the mid-1990s, Bayview was an all but forgotten, close-knit neighborhood of farmers, seafood workers, and tradesmen oppressed by isolation, job loss, and failing industry; and

WHEREAS, in 1995 a state-funded prison project was announced that would have displaced 57 families and devastated the tiny 300-year-old community; and

WHEREAS, an effective advocate, Alice Coles organized her neighbors and established "The Bayview Citizens for Social Justice," which successfully prevented the building of the correctional facility in Bayview and garnered national attention and public support; and

WHEREAS, when the NAACP exposed the community's impoverished conditions in 1998 and CBS's 60 Minutes documented a follow-up visit in 2003, Bayview became a national symbol of poverty in America; and

WHEREAS, through her inspiration and tireless efforts, Alice Coles helped raise the funds necessary to buy land and build new homes for all 57 Bayview families; and

WHEREAS, Alice Coles diligently worked with local, state, and federal entities to promote further growth and development for the community; and

WHEREAS, Alice Coles' dream of a thriving rural village is proceeding and when complete, Bayview will have 136 homes, a community center, shops and small businesses, a center for children and senior citizens, and even a neighborhood laundry facility and a community garden; and

WHEREAS, Alice Coles was one of 12 distinguished recipients recognized by the 2005 Hall of Fame for Caring Americans, which honors individuals who exemplify compassion, integrity, and public service; and

WHEREAS, the award is sponsored by the Caring Institute,  a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 by Val J. Halamandaris, who was inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta;  and

WHEREAS, because of her hard work and strong convictions, Alice Coles was honored with the esteemed AARP The Magazine 2005 Impact Award, which recognizes "ten people who improved the world we live in"; and

WHEREAS, Alice Coles is most deserving of national accolades and the highest praise for her outstanding service and steadfast devotion to the residents of Bayview; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate Alice Coles on her numerous accomplishments and outstanding public service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Alice Coles as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for her commitment to the citizens of Bayview and the Eastern Shore of Virginia.