VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

• Code of Virginia
• Virginia Administrative Code
• Constitution of Virginia
• Charters
• Authorities
• Compacts
• Uncodified Acts
• RIS Users (account required)

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

• Bills & Resolutions
  session legislation
• Bill Summaries
  session summaries
• Reports to the General Assembly
  House and Senate documents
• Legislative Liaisons
  State agency contacts

ACROSS SESSIONS

• Subject Index: Since 1995
• Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
• Summaries: Since 1994

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2020 SESSION

• history | hilite | pdf | print version

20109214D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 245 Offered March 2, 2020 Commending Niko Chavarriaga. ---------- Patron-- Bell ----------

WHEREAS, Niko Chavarriaga, a student at Haymarket Elementary School, has raised awareness of childhood cancers and brought hope to patients by collecting donated LEGO® sets for them to enjoy during hospital stays; and

WHEREAS, diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia while he was in kindergarten, Niko Chavarriaga understood what it was like to spend an extended period of time in a hospital room for treatment and found that LEGO® sets provided a positive outlet to keep his mind occupied; and

WHEREAS, Niko Chavarriaga created the #Nikostrong social media campaign to support his fellow patients in a similar way, as well as to raise awareness of childhood cancer with the hope of increasing funding for research; and

WHEREAS, during the first year of his campaign, Niko Chavarriaga received 49 new LEGO® sets and donated them to children at Inova Fairfax Hospital; the following year, he collected more than 200 sets, with donations coming from as far away as Japan, thanks in part to a YouTube video created by one of his teachers, Anna Collins-Walker; and

WHEREAS, Niko Chavarriaga has touched the lives of numerous young patients at Inova Fairfax Hospital through his kindness, compassion, and selflessness; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Niko Chavarriaga for his inspirational work to support childhood cancer patients; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Niko Chavarriaga as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his generosity and servant leadership.