Alexandria Honors James Rees

The City of Alexandria is honoring James Rees for his years of service to Mount Vernon and for his support of the legacy of George Washington. The Historic Alexandria Resources Commission and the George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee have endorsed a formal proclamation (shown below). It is to be presented by the Alexandria City Council at its meeting on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 301 King Street, Alexandria 22314.

Mr. Rees recently retired as President of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association after 29 years in that position. He is in rapidly failing health and will not be present to receive this much-deserved acclaim. However two representatives from the Mount Vernon Ladies Association will receive this proclamation for him: Susan Magill, Vice President of Advancement and Jamie Bosket, Vice President for Interpretation & Events.

Please put this on your calendars and try to be present. Mr. Rees was a great friend of Alexandria and his contributions to the commemoration of George Washington are truly significant. I know public support would mean a lot to him. This proclamation is early on the meeting docket; please plan to arrive a few minutes before 7 p.m. ...perhaps we can all stand and applaud when it is presented.

Here is the proclamation:

IN HONOR OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JAMES C. REES, IV

WHEREAS, as of June 1, 2012, James C. Rees, IV has retired as president and chief executive officer of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the group that owns and operates the home of George Washington, Mount Vernon; and

WHEREAS, James C. Rees, IV is an exemplary citizen who served as director of development and associate director at the Mount Vernon Estate from 1983 until his appointment as president in 1994; and

WHEREAS, because of his bold vision for the future of Mount Vernon, James C. Rees, IV has led the Estate through projects such as restoring and reconstructing George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill, creating a four-acre farm exhibition area, continuing the preservation of Washington’s viewshed, developing the 66,700 square-foot Ford Orientation and Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center buildings in 2006, and overseeing countless other important restorations to the 500-acre Estate; and

WHEREAS, as president, James C. Rees IV has successfully overseen the raising of more than a quarter billion dollars for projects designed to heighten George Washington’s greatly deserved very prominent place in the national consciousness and increasing Mount Vernon’s endowment from $4 million to $125 million; and

WHEREAS, the importance of George Washington to the City of Alexandria, the State of Virginia and the United States of America is inestimable;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM D. EUILLE, Mayor of the City of Alexandria, Virginia, on behalf of the Alexandria City Council, do hereby congratulate and honor James C. Rees, IV for his successful 29-year tenure as president of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and for his leadership in support of the legacy of George Washington.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Alexandria to be affixed this 26^th day of June 2012.

WILLIAM D. EUILLE MAYOR

On behalf of the City Council

of Alexandria, Virginia

ATTEST:

Jacqueline M. Henderson, MMC City Clerk