WHEREAS, for 50 years, Shelor Motor Mile of Christiansburg has greatly served the automotive needs of its customers and supported the community through a variety of charitable endeavors; and

WHEREAS, Shelor Motor Mile was founded in 1974 by father and son, Lew and Larry Shelor, in a small cinderblock garage on Roanoke Street in Christiansburg; and

WHEREAS, in 1979, Shelor Motor Mile grew with the addition of Toyota and Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge franchises; three years later the company brought on David Hagan, first as sales manager and shortly thereafter as shareholder, and he would go on to become a major figure within the company; and

WHEREAS, Larry Shelor and David Hagan completed a buyout of Lew Shelor between 1994 and 1997, and Shelor Motor Mile continued to flourish, ultimately becoming one of the largest privately owned used car dealerships in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, over the years, Shelor Motor Mile has expanded to include new franchises, such as Subaru, Ford, Kia, Jeep, and Mitsubishi, while growing its staff from less than 100 employees to more than 500 since 1994; and

WHEREAS, Shelor Motor Mile has made a profound and meaningful impact on the community through its Growing the Future program, which has brought in millions of dollars to support myriad initiatives at more than 40 schools in the New River Valley region; and

WHEREAS, Shelor Motor Mile's legacy of giving back to the community includes endowing scholarships at Radford University and New River Community College, supporting the Calfee Community & Cultural Center in Pulaski County, and donating a number of properties to localities and local charitable organizations; and

WHEREAS, Shelor Motor Mile's recent donation of the Motor Mile Speedway and historic Calfee Park to Pulaski County is the largest gift in the locality's history and promises to support the locality's comprehensive plan for promoting recreation and healthy community living in the years to come; and

WHEREAS, through the visionary leadership of its founders and owners and the tireless efforts and professionalism of its staff, Shelor Motor Mile has built Christiansburg into an auto shopping destination that is celebrated throughout the region; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Shelor Motor Mile hereby be commended on the occasion of its 50th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Shelor Motor Mile as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the company's history and its contributions to the Commonwealth.