WHEREAS, Jack Gray of Ashburn achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, in 2020; and
WHEREAS, only a limited number of Scouts meet the standards of excellence necessary to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout; Jack Gray met the requirements of earning 23 merit badges, demonstrating Scout spirit and leadership in his troop, and planning and completing a service project; and
WHEREAS, for his Eagle Scout service project, Jack Gray chose to clean and restore an abandoned cemetery he had previously discovered while hiking in Brambleton Regional Park; and
WHEREAS, Jack Gray contacted officials from NOVA Parks to learn the history of the 4,200-acre plot, known as the Lyons Family Cemetery, which contains headstones dating from the Civil War to World War I representing members of several Loudoun County families; and
WHEREAS, Jack Gray sought expertise from Jim Short, the owner of a gravestone restoration business, and coordinated with fellow members of Boy Scouts of America Troop 51 to complete the project, which took place over the course of 10 months; and
WHEREAS, Jack Gray's project included the restoration of a stone fence and a wrought iron fence, landscaping, the placement of informative signage, and the meticulous identification, cleaning, and restoration of gravestones; and
WHEREAS, Jack Gray set an excellent example for fellow young people in Ashburn and helped protect and preserve the history and heritage of the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Jack Gray hereby be commended on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boys Scouts of America; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Jack Gray as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his commitment to community service.