ALEXANDRIA, VA – “We are excited to announce the list of our 2024 Alexandria Living Legends,” says Alexandria Living Legends Chair Mary Wadland. “This year we had a pile of nominations to consider. It’s an important process, and the board gives each nominee careful consideration.”
The Living Legends of Alexandria is a prestigious honor bestowed upon certain individuals who live and/or work in Alexandria and have contributed to the community in an exemplary and lasting way that has significantly impacted the quality of life in Alexandria and inspired others.
“The idea came to me in the fall of 2006 when the City and the Gazette Packet approached me for photos of people who had died,” says photographer and artist Nina Tisara, who started the organization in 2007. “It was as if a lightbulb went off in my head, just like in cartoons. The documentation of Alexandria’s past history was pretty well handled, but its current history is important to me too. I thought, why not photograph people who are doing important things while they are still alive?”
In 2008, 12 of Alexandria’s most impactful citizens were alerted they had been chosen and the program began. Today, over 147 people have been honored as Living Legends of Alexandria. This year’s honorees are:
Ed Arthur—A lifetime of giving led to Hearts of Love, a foundation Ed and his wife Kathleen started, dedicated to providing food and temporary shelter for abused and neglected women and children. It soon expanded to include helping lower-income residents who lost jobs pay their rent, buy food, and obtain basic utility services. It is now one of the most noteworthy and productive personal efforts to help provide food, shelter, employment, mentoring, tutoring, encouragement, and confidence-building opportunities for women, children, and families at risk or in need in Alexandria’s Chirilagua neighborhood and surrounding communities.
Myron Conte—As the chaplain for the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center, Chaplain Contee uplifts the hearts and souls of hundreds of incarcerated individuals each year, not only because of his faith but also because of his personal understanding of what those in custody are experiencing. He carries the added credibility that comes from having once served time himself at the very same jail 30 years ago. Beyond the jail walls, Chaplain Contee supports the formerly incarcerated through his Second Chance Ministries. A professional plumber with his own business, he also hires returned citizens, truly practicing what he preaches.
Paris Davis– On Saturday, June 17, 2023, exactly 58 years from the date he saved countless men while enduring heavy enemy artillery fire and multiple injuries, and 10 weeks after President Biden awarded him the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty, Colonel Paris Davis was honored in Alexandria, his adopted hometown. During the White House ceremony, Biden looked directly at Davis, saying, “You are everything our nation is at our best: brave and big-hearted, determined and devoted, selfless and steadfast.” After he retired in 1985, he founded the Metro-Herald, a newspaper that focused on the local Alexandria community, civil rights issues, and African American accomplishments.
Lawrence “Lucky” Elliott—Lucky is best known as a youth sports coach, activist, and advocate for teens and young adults in the metro area. He coached youth football and basketball for close to 20 years. He has dedicated himself to fighting alcohol abuse among young teens as co-founder of the ‘We Care Organization,’ a group formed to combat alcohol and substance abuse. He led the first anti-alcohol and substance abuse march and demonstration through the streets of Alexandria to City Hall, as well as several other annual anti-alcohol marches. Lucky continues his work as an advocate as a certified clinician, teaching youth in the “Get Away Clean” program.
Andrew McDonald—Andrew has made countless and significant contributions to the City of Alexandria during his lifetime. He is a staunch conservationist, both environmentally and architecturally, and fights nonstop to preserve that unique and irreplaceable character that makes Alexandria so special. He is a former City Councilman and Vice Mayor. He served for many years on the Environmental Policy Commission (EPC). He is the chair of the Environmental Council of Alexandria (ECA). Most recently, he served on the Community Consensus Building Group for the pursuit of environmentally friendly alternatives to outmoded and destructive stream construction techniques for several of Alexandria’s waterways.
Willem Polak—Founder of the Potomac Riverboat Cruises, Willem had a vision for the Alexandria waterfront long before city planners did. Over 40 years he built and expanded its footprint, establishing the water taxi service and a bustling sightseeing business, but more important than that is his work with the Alexandria Police Foundation. In front of the Police Headquarters is the Fallen Officers Memorial. This Memorial bears the names of 18 fallen officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. This Memorial would not exist if not for the efforts of Willem Polak. In 2013, Willem took over as board president of the Alexandria Police Foundation. Prior to his assuming this role, the foundation was in turmoil and in danger of collapsing.
Mac Slover—You would be hard-pressed to find an organization in Alexandria that has more cross-collaboration than the Miracle League of Alexandria, founded by retired City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities, Mac Slover. Slover said he started talking about building a field for kids and adults with special needs in 2005, but it wasn’t until 2010 that things really started rolling. The city approved $285,000 in funds for the project and planned to begin construction in 2010. Another $300,000 in private and in-kind donations helped expedite the construction, and the field opened in 2012. It was the first city-sponsored program to be developed for special needs youth and adults. which includes private, government, non-profit, and educational organizations, which together have made something truly special.
Fran Terrell—Fran’s lifelong contributions to preserving and telling the history of Alexandria’s historic African American communities have made a lasting difference in how the city now acknowledges and memorializes its past. A specific highlight of her contributions is the work she did with the Ft. Ward and Seminary African American Descendants Society to recognize the African American community who had first come to Fort Ward following the Civil War. This involved the restoration of the old African American cemetery, now known as the Altan Baptist Church Cemetery and the incorporation of the post-Civil War history of the African American community into the Fort Ward Park and Museum.
David Weintritt— Dr. Weintritt recognized the crisis in the Alexandria community based on the statistics that the area has some of the highest incidence and mortality rates from breast cancer in the nation, as well as some of the highest rates of late-stage breast cancer. Founded in 2014 by Dr. David Weintritt, the National Breast Center Foundation (NBCFoundation) is the only comprehensive breast health foundation located in the city of Alexandria whose purpose is threefold: 1) educate the community about breast cancer and treatment options; 2) increase access for uninsured/under-insured women to breast cancer screening, diagnostic exams, and treatment; and 3) research and share the latest technology to best assist medically underserved women with breast cancer. Since its inception in 2014, NBCFoundation has been instrumental in providing free cancer services to the medically underserved community.
The Living Legends of Alexandria 2024 will be formally recognized at a special reception in October. Check the alexandrialivinglegends.org site after August 30 for tickets.
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