HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 427 Offered March 1, 2006 Commending Marlene Blum. ----------
Patrons-- Scott, J.M., Albo, Amundson, Armstrong, BaCote, Barlow, Bowling, Brink, Bulova, Callahan, Caputo, Dance, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Englin, Hull, Lewis, Marsden, McClellan, Melvin, Moran, Plum, Poisson, Rust, Shannon, Sickles, Spruill, Toscano, Valentine, Ward and Watts; Senators: Cuccinelli, Devolites Davis, Herring, Howell, O'Brien, Puller, Saslaw, Ticer and Whipple
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WHEREAS, Marlene Blum has been honored as the 2005 Fairfax County Citizen of the Year for her outstanding community service in the areas of education, health, and human services with special attention to residents in need and those of lower incomes; and

WHEREAS, for three decades, Marlene Blum has been a tireless community volunteer leader, generously giving her time and immense talents to improve the quality of life for all residents of Fairfax County; and

WHEREAS, as President of the Fairfax County Council of PTSA’s, Marlene Blum made many important contributions to students, parents and staff of the Fairfax County Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, in 1988 as chairperson of the County Health Care Advisory Board, Marlene Blum was instrumental in the creation of the Fairfax County Community Health Care Network which provides primary care to the uninsured; and

WHEREAS, Marlene Blum was a founder of the Access to Care Consortium and the highly-regarded Fairfax County Alliance for Human Services, serving as Chair of the Alliance from 1993 to 1997; and

WHEREAS, Marlene Blum was responsible for the creation of the Fairfax County HIV/AIDS Task Force in 1989, which led to program, education and prevention funding for community-based organizations; and

WHEREAS, Marlene Blum was the first Chair of the nationally-recognized Consolidated Community Funding Advisory Committee that overseas funding for community based non-profit organizations; and

WHEREAS, Marlene Blum led the Fairfax County School Health Task Force in 1993, which resulted in a significant increase in school public nurses; and

WHEREAS, Marlene Blum was instrumental in the creation of the Special Committee on Medically Fragile Homeless persons, which resulted in a pilot project for medical respite care for shelter residents; and

WHEREAS, in 2005 Marlene Blum was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Health and Human Services Task Force; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly commend and congratulate Marlene Blum as the 2005 Fairfax County Citizen of the Year for outstanding leadership and community service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Marlene Blum as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for her dedication to the citizens of Fairfax County.