WHEREAS, Marilyn Pace Maxwell, the executive director of Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., in Big Stone Gap, has been a major force in ensuring that elderly residents and their families of the City of Norton and Counties of Lee, Scott, and Wise have access to needed services; and WHEREAS, as the founding executive director of Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., (MEOC), Marilyn Maxwell has worked tirelessly to support the elderly population and their families while developing multigenerational programs that serve the larger community; and WHEREAS, a graduate of the University of Alabama and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Marilyn Maxwell also did postgraduate work in gerontology at the University of Michigan; and WHEREAS, Marilyn Maxwell built MEOC from a staff of three with a planning grant of $12,500 to an employer of over 300 with a $12.8 million operating budget; and WHEREAS, a passionate advocate for the elderly, Marilyn Maxwell has developed transportation, legal, financial, care coordination, and Alzheimer's support services to help older adults and their families; and WHEREAS, under Marilyn Maxwell's leadership, MEOC has expanded its services and now also houses the Southwest Virginia Children's Advocacy Center and the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center while providing management services to the Junction Center for Independent Living; and WHEREAS, MEOC also serves as the public transit provider and operates one of the first rural Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly in the nation; and WHEREAS, a vital member of the community, Marilyn Maxwell has generously given of her time and talents to numerous organizations and earned a plethora of awards and accolades for her service to others; and WHEREAS, a coalition builder, Marilyn Maxwell has provided visionary leadership to MEOC while partnering with other entities, all with the goal of providing the best possible services to the members of the community; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Marilyn Pace Maxwell for her distinguished service to the community; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Marilyn Pace Maxwell as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration and gratitude for her commitment to serving those in need. |