Arlene Hewitt Honored with Flora Casey Public Health Award
On January 27, ACAP (Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy) member, Arlene Hewitt was honored with the Flora Casey Public Health Award by Mayor Bill at a City Hall ceremony. Presented annually, the award recognizes individuals who have promoted the public health and well-being of the Alexandria community. The award is named in honor of Flora Krause Casey (1904-1991), a longtime resident of Alexandria whose life’s work improved the health of Alexandria’s most needy and vulnerable residents. Since moving to Alexandria from Boston over 45 years ago, Ms. Hewitt has launched or helped lead dozens of health initiatives in the City of Alexandria including launching Alexandria Hospital’s first patient discharge plan; creating a fitness program for the City’s seniors; chairing the task force that built the Flora Krause Casey Clinic; working on various city programs to reduce teen pregnancy; initiating a stroke symptoms awareness program; pushing an effort to combine police, fire and other safety personnel to prevent life-altering accidents in children; and heading up the city’s infant and adult inoculation programs. In addition to her recent award, Ms. Hewitt was named a 2008-2009 Living Legend of Alexandria.