Bill Text: VA SJR233 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-03-14 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ233ER) [SJR233 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-SJR233-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, in 2007 a remarkable group of young men who desired to make a difference in their community united to form the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation; and WHEREAS, the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation raises funds to help individuals and their families whose lives are directly affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), including donations to build JT's Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY, a 100 percent handicapped-accessible oceanfront park in Virginia Beach; and WHEREAS, ALS is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord causing muscle weakness and atrophy; ALS is one of the most common neuromuscular diseases worldwide and affects people of all races and ethnic backgrounds; and WHEREAS, the idea for JT's Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY formed when Josh Thompson, a former surfer who was diagnosed with ALS in 2006, was unable to go to the beach because of the difficulty of maneuvering his wheelchair on the sand; and WHEREAS, Josh Thompson's family wondered how many other individuals faced the same hurdles and decided to take action; Bruce Thompson, Josh's father, went to the City of Virginia Beach with a plan for an oceanfront park that would be accessible to all, which the City enthusiastically supported; and WHEREAS, the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation sponsored walks in 2008 and 2009, the JT Walk and Beach Party, in conjunction with the ALS Association, to raise funds to fight ALS and build JT's Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY; and WHEREAS, in an extraordinary mobilization, the 2008 and 2009 JT Walk and Beach Party had over 15,000 walkers combined in the largest single-day events in the nation for ALS, raising a stunning $1.4 million in 2008 and $2 million in 2009; and WHEREAS, JT's Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground for EveryBODY is expected to open around May 1, 2010, the first park of its kind in the nation, providing all individuals with an opportunity to safely and easily enjoy access to the oceanfront; and WHEREAS, the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation's efforts have already made a difference in the lives of those with ALS and demonstrate the power and influence that concerned citizens have when united in a common cause; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly commend the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation for its efforts on behalf of those with ALS and its commitment to ensuring oceanfront accessibility for all; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Gentlemen Foundation as an expression of the General Assembly's respect and admiration for the Foundation's commitment to making a difference in the community. |
