ALEXANDRIA, VA – “I have the new portraits up at City Hall, in the lobby,” said photographer Steven Halperson of Tisara Photography, referring to the annual photo installation of the current inductees into the Living Legends of Alexandria.
Living Legends of Alexandria, founded in 2006 by Nina Tisara, is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring and chronicling individuals who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Alexandria, Virginia.
“We had to postpone everything for the Legends this year — the reception honoring them, and even nominations for next year because this group of Legends has not had a chance to be properly recognized yet [due to COVID],” said LLA Board President Jeanne Theismann. “I’m grateful to Steven Halperson at Tisara Photography for all his work on the portraits and for hanging them on the lobby walls at City Hall, which usually happens as a more formal gathering. This pandemic has put off our whole program this year, but we plan to properly honor the 2020 Legends sometime in the Spring.”
The 2020 Legends are Carol and Ryan Bailey, Frank Fannon, Magaly and Tom Hirst, Rosa Landeros, McArthur Myers, Virginia and Richard Obranovich, Bill Reagan, Donald Simpson Jr. and Lindsey Swanson and Katey Halasz.
Carol Bailey and Ryan Bailey – As the mother of a son with special needs, Carol Bailey has worked for over 25 years with various organizations supporting individuals with disabilities. She and her son Ryan have been longtime volunteers in the Del Ray community.
Frank Fannon – A lifelong Alexandrian, former City Councilman Frank Fannon has served on numerous nonprofit boards and commissions and established the annual Alexandrians Have Heart food drive for ALIVE!
Magaly and Tom Hirst – Philanthropists Tom and Magaly Hirst have been generous supporters of various Alexandria nonprofits through ACT for Alexandria. They have awarded more than $685,500 to support local nonprofits, who in turn have been able to double that amount through Spring2Action’s matching grants.
Rosa Landeros – As parent liaison at Mount Vernon Community School, Rosa Landeros has advocated for students, provided food and clothing for students in need and arranged gatherings to bring together families in the Spanish- and English-speaking communities of Del Ray and Chirilagua.
McArthur Myers – McArthur Myers has worked to preserve the historical contributions of the city’s African American citizens through his efforts to identify historical sites and in obtaining historical markers for those sites.
Ginny & Richard Obervich for Living Legendsof ALexandria 2020
Bill Reagan – Bill Reagan is the founder and current Executive Director of the Alexandria Small Business Development Center. As founder, Reagan worked with City Council to fund and establish the Alexandria agency as a part of the Virginia SBDC network in 1996.
Donald Simpson Jr. – A third-generation Alexandrian, Donald Simpson Jr. has continued the legacy of his father and grandfather with a commitment to the youth of Alexandria through support of numerous educational and athletic programs and local nonprofits.
Lindsey Swanson and Katey Halasz – Lindsey, Katey and the Swanson family formed the Kelley Cares Foundation in the wake of the tragic loss of Kelley Swanson in 2005. The foundation has continued Kelley’s passion to help the special needs community with numerous projects, including the building of the Kelley Cares Miracle Field.
Following the exhibit in the Vola Lawson Lobby of City Hall, the photographic and written documentation of these Legends is transferred to the Office of Historic Alexandria, which takes possession of them as an archive for future generations.
Alexandria City Hall is generally open Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., except City holidays. City Hall is also open on many evenings, for public meetings.
Mary Wadland is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of The Zebra Press, the award-winning Alexandria news publication she founded in 2010 with a mission of celebrating community, culture, and all the good news happening across the city.
A longtime community advocate and storyteller, Mary was selected for the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce inaugural 40 Under 40 class and has served as President of Living Legends of Alexandria since 2022. Known for her deep local roots, sharp editorial instincts, and passion for connecting people through journalism, she has spent decades chronicling the personalities, businesses, events, and civic life that make Alexandria unique.
Originally from Delray Beach, Florida, Mary is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia, and has been part of Alexandria’s publishing and media community since 1987.
ALEXANDRIA, VA – “I have the new portraits up at City Hall, in the lobby,” said photographer Steven Halperson of Tisara Photography, referring to the annual photo installation of the current inductees into the Living Legends of Alexandria.
