Making a Difference
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Making a Difference

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

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Jeff Murphy has been involved as a volunteer youth and high school rugby coach since the late 1990s and is a former president of the Alexandria Rugby Club. He was the driving force behind the creation of the Recreation Department’s non-contact youth rugby program that began play in 2003. In 2004, Murphy established a rugby program at T.C. Williams High School and he recently led the boys’ rugby team to the Virginia Division 2 State Championship. He also serves as a member of the Youth Sports Advisory Board.

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Matthew Harwood has served on the Alexandria Commission for the Arts since 2006 and is chair of the Public Art Committee. Under his leadership, the committee has taken an active role in advancing public art in the City including revising the City’s 20 year-old policy on Acquired Art. He coordinated the Chinquapin Soft Playroom Mural Project and served on the selection panels for three significant public art projects: Charles Houston Memorial Public Art Project, Police Memorial and Freedmen’s Cemetery.

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Susan Miranda — Robert Delgado President of the TRCA accepted the award on her behalf — led the efforts of the Taylor Run Citizens Association’s weekly park clean-up events for the past three years. Her dedication to this event made a difference in the overall beautification and maintenance of the Chinquapin and Angel parks.

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As an Eagle Scout, Zac Stewart designed a beautification project for Monticello Park. He developed plans to rebuild and update the sign board at the entrance of the park, to remove brush, ivy and debris; to plant trees and shrubs, and to repair several foot paths. On Dec. 6, of last year, Zak and a squad of youth from Boy Scout Troop 129, along with approximately 50 other volunteers executed Zac’s plans. All of the planned projects were completed including the planting of 50 plus oak saplings.

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Brian P. Donegan has been a seven-year volunteer for the Alexandria Lacrosse Club. He began as a coach for girls’ lacrosse. He knew very little about lacrosse when he agreed to serve as a volunteer lacrosse coach. He brought some books and quickly learned the game through lots of studying and by practice. He has served as the Commissioner for girls’ lacrosse and currently is the Commission for the Alexandria lacrosse Club and a member of the Youth Sports Advisory Board.

The Alexandria Park and Recreation Commission presented its 2009 CIVIC Awards earlier this month. The annual awards program recognizes the volunteer efforts of residents who are involved in their communities by helping to meet recreation, park, or cultural needs.

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