SSA to Honor Three Community Leaders at their Annual Gala

By Mary Lee Anderson, Executive Director

Alexandria, VA – This year’s Senior Services of Alexandria Annual Gala will pay tribute to three individuals who are making a difference in the Alexandria community: Barbara Anderson, Esq., The Honorable William D. Euille, and C. Eugene Steuerle.

“SSA is proud to honor these individuals for their contributions to Alexandria through their day-to-day work, activism, and philanthropy,” said Laurie Blackburn, SSA Board Chair. “They have touched the lives of many people in our community, including its older adults.”

Barbara Anderson, Esq.

Barbara Anderson is a long-time Alexandria resident who has had a major impact on the lives of countless older adults through her work as an elder law attorney. She is the founding member of the Life and Estate Planning Law Center, concentrating on estate and trust planning and administration, guardian and conservatorships, fiduciary services, asset protection planning, and Medicaid.

Barbara is a leader in the legal community throughout Virginia. She is a member of the Senior Lawyers Conference Board of Governors and, in 2017, was inducted as a Fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation. Other professional memberships include the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Virginia and American Bar Associations. She was named the “Influential Woman of Virginia” in 2011 and 2020 by Virginia Lawyers Media.

Barbara and her husband Alan raised two sons in Alexandria. She actively participates in numerous church, public school, civic, and community organizations, frequently in leadership positions. A past president of the Alexandria Bar Association, she also served as Board Chair of Senior Services of Alexandria from 2011-2012. She continues to work with SSA and other local nonprofits to provide resources and services for older adults. Barbara was instrumental in organizing the first Senior Law Day, an annual event co-sponsored by the Alexandria Bar Association that provides information to residents about the importance of estate planning.

Barbara has served as an Elder and Trustee in her faith community at Westminster Presbyterian Church. She served as Director of the Westminster Foundation from 1999-2003. Her work with the Alexandria Public Schools includes the T.C. Williams High School Scholarship Fund and the All Night Graduation Party, and PTA President at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School.

William D. Euille

Civic engagement in Alexandria is an integral part of former Alexandria Mayor William D. “Bill” Euille’s life. Helping Alexandria thrive and prosper has been and remains Bill’s life blood and his life’s work. He grew up in public housing, in an area of North Old Town known then as “The Berg,” where now a street is named after him.

Just two years out of college, Bill became the youngest ever school board member and served on the board for 10 years. In 1994, he was elected to City Council, serving for three terms with one term as Vice Mayor. He was the first African American elected as mayor of Alexandria and remains the longest-serving mayor.

Bill’s been active in many community organizations, including the Alexandria Boys and Girls Club, Chairman of the Alexandria United Way Campaign, Hopkins House, Inova Hospital Health System Board, the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, Chair of the NOVA Urban League Board of Directors, and the Alexandria Rotary Club. He’s received many awards and honors, including community service awards from the Alexandria NAACP, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce Philanthropist of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alexandria Democratic Committee. Most recently he was named 2016 Man of the Year from the Nu Xi Zeta Sorority.

Bill is now CEO of the Euille Group, LLC, a business development consulting firm, and is a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Eugene Steuerle

Eugene (Gene) Steuerle moved to Alexandria “for two years” some 45 years ago. He is most proud of the dedication and selflessness of his first wife, the late Norma Lang Steuerle; his current wife, Marguerite Scheflen; his children, Kristin and Lynne; and his five stepchildren, Jennifer, Katherine, Elisabeth, Caroline, and Abigail.

Gene has been engaged with charities and churches in Alexandria for many of those years, including joining with many dedicated Alexandria residents to found and foster ACT for Alexandria, the community foundation for which he later became chair and now chair emeritus.

As part of that founding effort, Gene and his daughters transferred all funds they received from victim compensation following Norma’s death on September 11, 2001 to various charities, the primary of which is ACT. Gene’s current efforts now center on developing a legacy campaign for Alexandria charities, following upon the success of its 2019 Spring2Action fundraiser, which raised over $2 million for those charities.

Gene is an institute fellow, Richard B. Fisher chair at the Urban Institute, and co-founder of the Tax Policy Center and the Urban Institute’s Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy. He studies charitable giving and charitable organizations, as well as works with them. He is the author, coauthor, or coeditor of 18 books and over 1,500 articles and columns.

The Gala

Brandywine Senior Living of Alexandria is this year’s presenting sponsor for this special evening. Platinum sponsors include AUTO-GRIP, McEnearney Associates, and H. Arthur Sauer.

The evening will feature dinner and dancing with music by Brothers Plus One and a wine pull presented by UnWined. A silent auction will feature travel getaways, sports tickets, and elegant restaurant packages, as well as a special raffle of tickets to the Elton John concert in Brooklyn, New York, with overnight accommodations.

The gala will take place on Saturday, March 14, at the Westin Alexandria from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. For tickets and more information go to www.seniorservicesalex.org or call Medea Ranck, SSA’s Development Director, at 703-836-4414, ext. 114.

Senior Services of Alexandria provides services and programs that help foster independence and self-sufficiency, enabling seniors within the City of Alexandria to age with dignity.

ICYMI: Senior Services of Alexandria 2019 Annual Gala