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2009 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 802
Commending Building Goodness Foundation.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 30, 2009
Agreed to by the Senate, February 5, 2009

 

WHEREAS, in 2009 Building Goodness Foundation of Charlottesville is celebrating its 10th anniversary of designing and building structures that provide meaningful services and objectives for communities in need; and

WHEREAS, in October 1999, a group of Charlottesville builders met for breakfast to talk about their latest projects and, as a result of their discussions of common goals, decided to band together to find a way to give back to their community; and

WHEREAS, the idea to help poor or ravaged communities build vital structures originated with Lawson Drinkard and his good friend Jack Stoner, when they joined a mission to build a rural community center in Haiti; and

WHEREAS, after the completion of the project, the two builders solicited the help of other conscientious contractors, including Michael Cernik and his friend Howard Pape, and soon Building Goodness Foundation emerged as an innovative, volunteer-based nonprofit that organizes skilled craftspeople, construction professionals, and other passionate volunteers in a collaborative effort to design and build structures in the United States and abroad, such as clinics, schools, community centers, and housing; and

WHEREAS, Building Goodness Foundation also attempts to positively impact local, national, and international communities by establishing meaningful and lasting relationships between volunteers and the local people involved in the projects; and

WHEREAS, since its inception, Building Goodness Foundation’s more than 1000 volunteers have worked a combined total of 60,000 hours, which includes contributions by professionals from at least 25 construction and architecture firms using materials donated by more than a dozen building supply companies; and

WHEREAS, Building Goodness Foundation’s volunteer efforts have resulted in 54 international work trips, 47 national work trips, and more than 30 local projects in central Virginia; and

WHEREAS, some of Building Goodness Foundation's many current and ongoing projects include building two houses a year in L’Acul and a health center in Thomassin, both in Haiti; designing and constructing a 6,000-square-foot community center in Pearlington, Mississippi; renovating cabins and providing a new roof for Medical Korner at Camp Holiday Trails, a facility for special needs children; and renovating 10 to 12 homes each year for low-income residents in the Charlottesville area; and

WHEREAS, Building Goodness Foundation has garnered many awards and accolades since its founding, including a United Way Award of Excellence, the Mississippi Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence, and an Etown Radio Show’s Echievement Award; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate Building Goodness Foundation, its founders, and volunteers on the occasion of the organization’s 10th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Building Goodness Foundation as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude to the nonprofit for its commitment to helping communities in need.