City of Alexandria, Virginia
Office of the City Manager
Alexandria City Hall
301 King Street, Suite 3500
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211
www.alexandriava.gov
Telephone: 703.838.4300
Fax : 703.838.6343

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2001
CONTACT: Lisa Oviatt, Director, Office on Women, (703) 838-5030
Alexandria Commission for Women Seeks Nominations for Salute to Women Awards

The City of Alexandria’s Commission for Women is seeking nominations of women who have made significant contributions to the City, for its Annual Salute to Women Awards Banquet. 'This is always such an exciting and important event,' said Lisa Oviatt, Director of the Office on Women. Ms. Oviatt went on to point out that, 'while there is always more work to be done, it is so vitally important to stop and celebrate the important work that women do.'

The banquet, which will be held on Monday, March 26, 2001 at 6:00 p.m., at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on 625 First Street, Alexandria, recognizes the important work women do in the City. Nominations for the awards must be sent to the Office on Women by March 12, 2001. Individuals or organizations may nominate more than one woman for the salute. The awards cover several areas of expertise, from health and safety to public policy and from advocating for the arts to helping youth. There is also a youth award honoring a young person for her community service.

The Commission is looking for nominations in two new categories this year. One is named to honor Vola Lawson, former Alexandria City Manager who retired last year, and will be awarded to a city employee who, like Vola herself, has advanced, improved or otherwise contributed to the status of women in the City of Alexandria during the course of his or her job. The other has been named the Rising Star Award and will recognize an Alexandria woman with less than a total of five years of volunteer service in Alexandria who has made significant contributions to the well-being of the women in our community, particularly through community service or other volunteer projects.

This year’s Salute to Women Awards Banquet will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Office on Women, the 20th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Program, the 25th anniversary of the SARA (Sexual Assault Response and Awareness) Program, and the 10th anniversary of Project STEPOUT/Project MANHOOD, a teen mentoring program. The proceeds from the banquet will help support the work of these very important projects.

For more information, nomination form, or an invitation, please call the Office on Women at (703) 838-5030 or e-mail Lisa Oviatt at lisa.oviat@ci.alexandria.va.us. The Office on Women is located at 421 King Street, Suite 400, Alexandria.
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