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In This Issue:
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Prints Available
You’ve seen them exhibited at City Hall.
Now you can have your own Portrait of a Legend
(or give one as a gift).
Custom Framed Prints
Signed by the Artist
16×16: $325; 11×11: $250
Smaller print sizes and Gift Certificates Available.
Call 703-838-8098 for details.
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LLA Logo Golf Shirts & Caps
Wear your support for Living Legends over your heart (and on your head)! Order your LLA Logo Golf Shirts ($45) and caps ($25) today. Download an Order Form.
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Holy Cow Donations!
Remember to support Living Legends when get your burgers at Holy Cow Burger Joint, 2312 Mt. Vernon Avenue.
In an innovative partnership with ACT for Alexandria, 2014 Living Legend Mike Anderson gives back to more than 75 local nonprofits by donating $.25 for every burger sold at Holy Cow, Del Ray’s Gourmet Burger Joint. Living Legends is #045 on the list. And yes, they serve veggie-burgers.
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Calendar
Through September 8, 2014
Past Legends Exhibition
Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, 3rd Floor Alexandria, VA 22314
Through February 28, 2015
2014 Living Legends of Alexandria Photos Alexandria City Hall Market Square lobby 301 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314
August 10, 2014
Civil Rights Saturday Alexandria Black History Museum 902 Wythe Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314
September 20, 2014
MetroStage Theater Night 6:30 – 8:00 PM 1201 N Royal Street Alexandria, VA 22314
October 15, 2014
Deadline to submit nominations for 2015 Living Legends www.AlexandriaLegends.com
April 22, 2015
Spring2ACTion
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2014 Platinum and Gold Sponsors
Alexandria Commission for the Arts
Alexandria Toyota
Club Managers Association
Dominion
Goodwin House, Inc.
Linda Hafer
Gregg & Monica Murphy on behalf of Senior Services of Alexandria
Nina Tisara
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Board of Directors
Officers
President
Pam St. Clair
Vice President
Joseph Shumard
Secretary
Mary Anne Weber
Treasurer
Rodger Stephens
Members
Victoria Almquist
Pam Cressey
Audrey Davis
Charles “Tony” Gee
Linda Hafer
Bill Kehoe
A. Melvin Miller
Director Emeritus
Nina Tisara
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Message from the President
Dear Friends,
The other day someone asked, “What is Living Legends?” I gave my standard response…Living Legends of Alexandria is an ongoing, not-for-profit photo-documentary project to identify, honor and chronicle Alexandria’s recent history makers. She said, “I had no idea it had anything to do with the fact that Alexandria is such a historic city! You need to tell more people that.” That was a helpful reminder to me that we all know LLA is a way to be certain that the history of all that makes Alexandria special today is recorded so those who come after us will understand what it takes to make and keep the city vibrant and a good place to live, work and do business. Because you are reading this newsletter you are probably already a supporter and cheerleader for LLA but here’s how you can help spread the word.
One way is to share the email addresses of your friends, family, co-workers, fellow members of any organization you belong to so we can send this newsletter to them. Send the names/email addresses of as many people you know who might enjoy reading Living Legends News to [email protected]. We promise we won’t send them anything else and they can opt out at any time.
Also, let us know if any of those groups might like to have a speaker come to explain LLA.
Invite your friends and associates to join you for events that honor the Legends.
Think of places you feel would be good to display the Living Legend portraits. There are three options, one of which can be set up and taken down in a few minutes and one which can be set up and taken down in a half-hour, perfect for neighborhood or business association meetings. The third option, framed prints under glass, is suitable for a longer exhibition time, a minimum of four months. All can feature specific groups of Legends: African Americans, women, business leaders, artists and arts activists, or community activists.
I am sure you can think of more ways to spread the word. Visit www.AlexandriaLegends.com and click Contact Us to share your thoughts.
Speaking of events, we are excited about the upcoming theater evening on September 20th at MetroStage. There is preliminary information below and additional details will be forthcoming. Save the date and plan to join us for a wonderful time.
If you have thought of someone who deserves to be a Legend and have already submitted a nomination…Good for YOU! If you have an idea but haven’t gone online to submit a nomination yet…there is still time. If you haven’t even thought who you might nominate…take a moment to remember some program, event, person who personifies why you love this town. If you are not certain how something got started, ask around. There will be someone who knows. The deadline is October 15th.
Thank you, as always, for your support!
Pam St. Clair
President
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2014 Living Legend of Alexandria — Converse “Connie” West
By Sherry Wilson Brown
Photo by Steven Halperson
If the City ever establishes an official position of Alexandria Amanuensis, 2014 Living Legends Converse “Connie” West would be a shoo-in for the job. He has documented and continues to record officially the business of numerous Alexandria organizations as their secretary. Currently, he is secretary of Agenda: Alexandria, the Holmes Run Park Committee (which he has also chaired), the Hallmark Condominium Board of Directors, and the Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations.
But Connie’s contributions go well beyond serving as secretary. He was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts and raised in Northern New Jersey, where his father was an accountant and his mom the town librarian giving him a double set of genes which may have contributed the traits that make him such an accurate and conscientious secretary. After graduating from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, he tried a year of law school before being drafted into the U.S. Army. That 26-month service included a tour of duty in Korea. Some fifty years later, Connie’s stepson was at the embassy in South Korea and Connie returned to a very different country. Except for the strained relation with North Korea, South Korea was an interesting place to visit and he enjoyed seeing the changes.
Read More: www.AlexandriaLegends.com
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Nominate a Legend for 2015
Nominations are now being accepted for 2015 Living Legends of Alexandria.
Living Legends of Alexandria is looking for nominees who have contributed at least one tangible improvement to the quality of the city’s life that would likely be missing without this person’s vision and energy. Those currently running for or holding political office are not eligible for consideration.
The 2015 Living Legends of Alexandria will be announced in January and honored at our annual reception in March. Past recipients can be viewed at www.AlexandriaLegends.com/All.htm
The deadline for all nominations is 5:00 pm, Wednesday, October 15. The nomination form can be found online and can be submitted using the online form or by emailing your nomination(s) to [email protected]. If necessary, mail to Living Legends, 400 N. Washington St., #300, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Questions may be directed to Rosanne Burns at [email protected] or by calling 703-683-4035.
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Getting Around
Living Legend Business Portraits Displayed
The Living Legend business portraits were displayed at the West End Business Association (WEBA) after-hours social at Washington Suites on July 10. Nina Tisara explained the Living Legends project and invited attendees to submit nominations for 2015.
To display Legend prints at your event, contact [email protected].
Photo by Peter Baldwin
Theater Night at MetroStage
Save the Date! Living Legends of Alexandria will host Theater Night at MetroStage on Saturday, September 20. The play “Three Sistahs” is an elegant intimate musical which exposes the souls of three strong women as they reflect the promise of the future, while revealing the pain of the present and their regrets of the past. It will be an evening of gospel, rhythm & blues, funk and folk music by William Hubbard, a rich musical tapestry inspired by Chekhov’s Three Sisters.
“Three Sistahs is a fitting tribute to a timeless classic, a reflection of the abundant artistry at MetroStage…” – DCTheatreScene
The play will be preceded by a reception beginning at 6:30 pm. The play begins promptly at 8 pm. More details coming soon.
Civil Rights Sunday – A Free Interactive Activity
Teaching Families about the Civil Rights Locally and Nationally
The Alexandria Black History Museum, in cooperation with the Living Legends of Alexandria/Family Legends Project, will present Civil Rights Sunday on August 10, 2014, from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm. This educational and fun event is free and open to the public.
This event will feature three aspects of civil rights.
Museum director Audrey Davis will give a brief overview of the current exhibition at the museum, “Sit Down and Take a Stand: Samuel Wilbert Tucker and 1939 Alexandria Library Sit-in.” The 75th anniversary of this historic event occurs in 2014, and was one of the earliest civil rights actions in the United States.
Howard Feinstein will read an excerpt from his book, Fire on the Bayou: True Tales from The Civil Rights Battlefront. This new book chronicles Mr. Feinstein’s experiences as a federal hate crimes prosecutor in the Deep South. Mr. Feinstein will be available to sign copies of the book which has been nominated for a 2014 Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Proceeds from sales will be donated to Empowered Women International.
Rana Jafar Yaseen EWI will speak about women’s rights. Yaseen is a poet and artist from Iraq and was the featured speaker at Empowered Women International (EWI) recent graduation.
To conclude the program, families may share a story of a personal civil rights experience and join artist Sushmita Mazumdar for a storytelling / book making activity. Participants will make a book they can take home which can become a family keepsake. This activity is suitable for adults and children 10 years and over.
Attendees may come for all or any part of the program.
Space for the bookmaking workshop is limited and reservations are recommended. Participation in the bookmaking workshop will be limited to the first 20 people who reserve for that portion of the program. For information and reservations, please call 703-746-4356.
The Alexandria Black History Museum is located at 902 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, in the Parker-Gray Historic District. The Museum is five blocks from the Braddock Road Metro Station on the Yellow or Blue lines. Street parking is available. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org.
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2014 Best in Business Nomination
The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce annually honors businesses for their significant role in driving the City’s business community and economic growth. To be considered for a Business of the Year award, the organization must be setting the standards for excellence and innovation with their business practices and community involvement.
Living Legends of Alexandria is a proud nominee for this recognition. We very much appreciate the exposure gained through nomination and would of course be especially pleased to be recognized for our success. The decisions will be made soon.
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New On-Line Bidding Opportunity
Living Legends is now opening on-line bidding for the following items:
- Custom-designed ring courtesy of David Martin Gold Works. 2013 Living Legend of Alexandria David Martin has made available a handsome custom-designed man’s ring. From his new “Luna Line,” the ring is mixed 14 and 18 kt. gold with reticulated silver, rolled and fused together to create a unique design. Free sizing. Value $550. Minimum bid $300. Option to add small diamonds as an additional feature for slightly more.
- Identify yourself as a fan of Living Legends of Alexandria by sporting these LLA Logo cuff links designed by David Martin Gold Works. Value: $50. Minimum bid $35.
To bid, contact [email protected]. Highest bid dated by 5 pm, August 19th wins.
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