|
The Fairfax County Federation of Citizens' Associations requests the pleasure of your company at the
Sixty-Fifth Annual Awards Banquet
honoring
2014 Fairfax County Citizen of the Year
Michael O'Reilly
Citation of Merit Honorees
Connie Hartke
Bruce Wright
Special Gratitude Award Honorees
Michael "Mike" Frey
Gerald "Gerry" Hyland
Special Gratitude Award / Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Mary Agee
Sunday, the third of May, 2015
at the
Crowne Plaza Tysons Corner
1960 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, Virginia
Cocktails 5:30 p.m. Program 6:30 p.m.
|
Michael O'Reilly is a true "model citizen." His willingness to take on tough challenges shows that he is not afraid of failure and able to step outside of his comfort zone to work on issues that will help County residents. In 2009 he helped create the Governing Board of the Fairfax-Falls Church Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness. He has chaired the Board since its inception to provide "vision, leadership, and policy guidance to reach the goal of preventing and ending homelessness by December 31, 2018." This is no small task and Mr. O'Reilly takes an active role in the Board's work. He chairs both the Resource Development and Advocacy Subcommittees and regularly testifies before the Board of Supervisors and other organizations on matters related to homelessness. He has represented the Governing Board and the Partnership on television and in interviews, and has brought attention housing needs in Fairfax County. Mr. O'Reilly's work has brought the County closer to its goal of eradicating homelessness.
Michael O'Reilly is a lifelong resident of Fairfax County, growing up in the Baileys Crossroads area with his two sisters and four brothers. In 1978 he married his high school sweetheart Annie, and together they raised 4 great kids, Michael, David, Jeanne and Colleen. In 1980, he and Annie moved to the Town of Herndon where they continue to live. In addition to his work with the Governing Board he practices law full time, serves as the President of the Herndon Council for the Arts and also serves as Co-chair of the Herndon Committee of the Dulles Regional Chamber. Mr. O'Reilly served as Mayor of the Town of Herndon from 2004 to 2006.
|
Ms. Connie Hartke has employed her talents for the good of Fairfax County citizens and she is probably best known around the county for her leadership in Rescue Reston (RR), a grassroots organization formed in July 2012. As an avid environmentalist and long-time Reston resident and Board Member of the Reston Citizens Association, she immediately grasped the importance of the fight to save the 166- acre Reston National Golf Course (RNGC), which is prime real estate within walking distance to two Silver Line Metro stations, as the permanent open space that everyone in Reston had always assumed it to be. Anyone involved in community work knows the challenges of mobilizing citizens to action. Rescue Reston, under her leadership, has secured a support petition of more than 6,000 signatures and has filled the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors / Planning & Zoning auditorium to overflow status during a recent zoning appeal hearing on RNGC. Resolution of the zoning appeal is expected on April 15, 2015, but already RR is planning its next steps in Fairfax District Court. The stakes are so high on both sides that court challenges are inevitable. Ms. Hartke, the ever-inventive thinker, is planning alternative actions as well.
Ms. Hartke invests the time and energy to really educate herself and others on matters of key significance for the community. She is a wonderful supporter of the Walker Nature Center, participating in numerous education programs including hikes, presentations and environmental film nights. She lives with her husband Paul on Lake Audubon in the Reston community of Fairfax County. Her daughter Margaret Perry and 3 grandchildren also reside in Reston.
|
Bruce Wright can usually be seen using his bicycle to take short (and some longer) trips around Fairfax County. He travels by bike to most of the many meetings he attends as Chairman of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB), a sponsored project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Since 2005, Bruce and FABB members have worked with Fairfax County and the Virginia Department of Transportation to ensure that bicycling is an integral part of the county's transportation system. FABB advocated for funding of the Bicycle Program and Bicycle Coordinator position. Bruce spent many long hours working with the county to help create the Bicycle Route Map, currently in the third edition.
Under Bruce's leadership, FABB also advocated for and helped create the county's first Bicycle Master Plan that was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2014. Bruce was co-author of the award-winning publication Guide for Reviewing Public Road Design and Bicycling Accommodations for Virginia Bicycling Advocates. Bruce was named 2007 Hunter Mill District Lord Fairfax. He has served on the Hunter Mill District Land Use Committee, the Reston Planning and Zoning Committee, and the Tysons Land Use Task Force. He also served on and was chairman of the Fairfax County's Trails & Sidewalks Committee for several years. He is a past board member of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and is a current board member of Paul's Ride for Life. Bruce and his wife Kerie Hitt live in Reston.
|
Supervisor Frey has represented Sully District since its creation after the 1990 census. Since the beginning of his tenure as supervisor in 1992, Mr. Frey oversaw enormous growth and change in the Centreville/Chantilly area. His expertise in land use and development issues helped guide the area through this transition period. Notable accomplishments were the creation of the Centreville Historic District, the acquisition of over 2,000 acres of parkland, and the establishment of a day labor center in Centreville.
Mr. Frey has worked tirelessly for transportation improvements in the district to improve mobility and reduce congestion. During his time in office, Route 28 was widened and interchanges were constructed at all at grade intersections within the Route 28 Tax District. He has been a big proponent of youth activities and opportunities for young children and has been a leading advocate of youth sports. As a former SYA coach, he tirelessly advocated for more youth facilities from basketball courts, to baseball fields to football, soccer and lacrosse fields. He worked closely with the two youth groups in the district, Chantilly Youth Association (CYA) and the Southwestern Youth Association (SYA). Mr. Frey has lived in Fairfax County for the last 29 years and has been a homeowner in the London Commons Community of Centreville for the last 23 years. A 1983 George Mason University graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Government and Politics, Frey was selected as one of the Outstanding Young Men in America that same year. He is also a graduate of Leadership Fairfax, the premier leadership development program in Northern Virginia.
|
Supervisor Gerry Hyland sets an exemplary pillar of representation which has energized and rallied the citizens of his district to actively engage and work to better the community and has empowered citizens to have an active voice in government. He has served his constituents loyally and always ensured that the interests of the citizens was first and foremost. He has been a force for renewal within the Mount Vernon District, working tirelessly on such major projects as Ft. Belvoir and BRAC, the expansion of Route 1 from Telegraph Road to Woodlawn, the transformation in Lorton with 2,000 acres of land that was transferred to the County, and set the stage for the future revitalization of the Route 1 Corridor in the Mount Vernon District. Supervisor HylandÕs achievements are so numerous and all-encompassing that no single list could capture the entirety of his efforts.
Mr. Hyland was born and raised in Massachusetts and attended school at the College of the Holy Cross where he received a BS in Economics in 1959. He then moved to Northern Virginia and attended Georgetown University Law Center where he received his LLB in 1962. He served more than six years of active duty in the United States Air Force and continued as a reserve officer until his retirement as a Colonel with 30 years of service. Mr. Hyland owns the private law practice, Hyland and Hyland and is a Member of the Bar in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts. He also owns a working farm on the eastern shore of Virginia.
|
For the past 43 years, Mary Agee has made an enormous difference in the lives of Northern Virginians, many of them low income and struggling. Joining Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) in 1972, Ms. Agee became the organization's leader 26 years ago. In 1996 NVFS began its innovative Training Futures program, a signature initiative developed by Ms. Agee, a six month intensive office skills job training program in a simulated office environment. Partnering with Northern Virginia Community College, which offers credits for the Training Futures curriculum, the program has trained 1,700 individuals who were low income, and under-employed or unemployed. Over 89% of the graduates have secured full time employment in an office environment, far exceeding the employment rates of other national programs.
She has also mentored many nonprofit professionals who in turn have become successful nonprofit leaders in the Northern Virginia.
Ms. Agee is a visionary who exemplifies the core values of social work - promoting collective responsibility, social change, and steadfast commitment to social justice in the service of empowering individuals, families and communities to meet their needs. Her ability to successfully respond to community need through cross sector collaboration and highly effective use of diverse resources has led to the building of successful and stable lives. She has extraordinary ability to identify complex situations, changing environmental trends, and diverse resources, and bring organizations together to build innovative, comprehensive and successful programs. Ms. Agee holds a Masters in Social Work degree from University of California, Berkeley. She lives with her husband in Fairfax County, and has two grown children
|
The Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations, established in 1940, is the countywide voice for homeowner, civic, and community associations. An all-volunteer organization, The Federation works on issues that impact Fairfax County residents, including education, transportation, the environment, human services, land use, the county budget, and state and federal legislative issues.
PRESS CONTACT: Tania Hosaain, COY Chair, FedCOY2015 @ fairfaxfederation.org Phone: 703-489-5999
2014 Honorees
2013 Honorees
2012 Honorees
2011 Honorees
2010 Honorees
2009 Honorees
2008 Honorees
2007 Honorees
2006 Honorees
2005 Honorees
2004 Honorees
2003 Honorees
2002 Honorees
2001 Honorees
2000 Honorees
Complete List of All Previous Recipients
about us |
membership |
Fairfax County |
schools |
state government |
COG |
contact us
Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations, P.O. Box 3913, Merrifield, VA 22116-3913, |