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2011 SESSION

11104876D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 429
Offered February 3, 2011
Commending James and Karen Connell Cleveland.
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Patrons-- Howell; Delegate: Plum
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WHEREAS, James and Karen Connell Cleveland, former Best of Reston Award winners, were honored by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and Reston Interfaith, Inc., with the prestigious Robert E. Simon Lifetime Achievement Award; and

WHEREAS, the Robert E. Simon Lifetime Achievement Award was established as a lifetime achievement honor to recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to serving the Reston community and improving the lives of others; and

WHEREAS, James Cleveland has been a professional planner and one of the founding leaders of the Reston community as President of Reston Land Corporation; and

WHEREAS, James Cleveland has served on the Washington Airport Task Force as a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance; and

WHEREAS, James Cleveland was a founding board member and major contributor of several community organizations, including the Greater Reston Arts Center, The Reston Historic Trust, and the Friends of Reston for Community Projects and its Nature House; and

WHEREAS, James Cleveland has served the community as a member of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, as a director on the boards of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., and as a founder and past board chair of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland has served in many roles to build a sense of community in Reston with her unique understanding of the power of sector collaboration in creating a thriving community; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland served as executive director of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce from 1988–1995, when she was instrumental in forging a partnership with Reston Interfaith to create the Best of Reston, an event now in its 20th year; she now serves on the board of directors for the event; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland invests her passion to build a stronger community for families and youth as a member and generous supporter of the Fairfax County YMCA, Reston Soccer Association, Reston Youth Baseball, and Pit Teen Center; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland inspires future generations through her participation at Ethics Day at South Lakes High School; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland helped to make dreams come true for families as executive director of the Northern Virginia Alliance of Habitat for Humanity where she was instrumental in providing families homes for a better and more stable life; and

WHEREAS, Karen Connell Cleveland continues to support nonprofits through her consulting/coaching services, through her leadership roles, and devotion to helping the less fortunate; and

WHEREAS, James and Karen Connell Cleveland, both as individuals and as a couple, have committed themselves professionally and personally to foster community partnerships while continuing to develop the Reston community; and

WHEREAS, the 20th anniversary of the Best of Reston Awards is an appropriate time to present the Robert E. Simon Lifetime Achievement Award to James and Karen Connell Cleveland for their lifetime of dedication to the people and place called Reston and for inspiring all who live, work, play, and serve in the community to make the community a better place; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate James and Karen Connell Cleveland for their outstanding service to the residents of Northern Virginia and on their well-deserved honor as 2011 Robert E. Simon Lifetime Achievement Award recipients; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to James and Karen Connell Cleveland as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation of the couple’s many achievements and best wishes for continued success.