WHEREAS, The Norfolk City Union of The King's Daughters, the founding organization of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in Norfolk, celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2021; and

WHEREAS, The Norfolk City Union of The King's Daughters was formed by a group of caring women in 1896 with a mission to address the plight of indigent families and children in Norfolk and in only one year raised sufficient funds to start a visiting nurse service; and

WHEREAS, in the first year, the nurse hired by The King's Daughters made 1,771 visits on foot to patients; a donated bike increased nursing visits the second and subsequent years and in 1919 the first car was donated and annual visits from nurses through the years increased to over 41,000 visits; and

WHEREAS, as its operations grew, The King's Daughters established a baby clinic on Duke Street in Norfolk in 1913 that offered free or low-cost medical care to children in the area for nearly a half-century; and

WHEREAS, on April 23, 1961, The King's Daughters opened the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (CHKD), realizing its longstanding vision for a full-service hospital dedicated exclusively to the care of children in the community where no patient would be turned away for lack of funds; and

WHEREAS, the CHKD, the only freestanding children's hospital in the Commonwealth today, provides exceptional care to thousands of children every year and has become a lifesaving resource for families in the Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina regions; and

WHEREAS, since The King's Daughters transferred the operation of the hospital to the Children's Health System of CHKD in 1984, members of The King's Daughters have continued to serve on the boards of the hospital and the CHKD Foundation while volunteering more than 49,000 hours annually in support of the health system; and

WHEREAS, The King's Daughters have remained devoted to expanding and enhancing services at CHKD through fundraising and volunteerism, raising millions to ensure the hospital remains on the cutting-edge of pediatric care; and

WHEREAS, The King's Daughters have spearheaded numerous endeavors to redouble their commitment to the well-being of children in the community and to improve services at CHKD, including an endowment to support victims of child abuse, a donor milk bank, and a mental health hospital, which will open in 2022; and

WHEREAS, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, The King's Daughters and its 1896 Society are celebrating their 125th anniversary through a series of virtual and hybrid events while planning to resume cherished events such as the CHKD RunWalk for the Kids, Breakfast with Santa, and Moonlight and Mistletoe in the near future; and

WHEREAS, The King's Daughters' accomplishments are the result of the pioneering spirit of its founders, the stellar leadership of its board of directors, and the tireless dedication of thousands of volunteers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That The Norfolk City Union of The King's Daughters, founding organization of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, hereby be commended on the occasion of its 125th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to The Norfolk City Union of The King's Daughters as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for its contributions to the Commonwealth.