On Thursday, November 10 at 12 PM (ET), the 29th annual Spirit of Community Awards and Luncheon will bring together business, civic, and philanthropic leaders, as well as Arlingtonians from all walks of life, for a celebration of individuals who have made Arlington a better home for all of us. This year’s celebration will be the first in-person event in three years. Registration for the event is now open.

For the first time in 29 years, three extraordinary people will be honored with The William T. Newman Spirit of Community Award. Individually and collectively, these recipients represent the passion, commitment, and community advocacy that define the Award and the absolute best vision of what Arlington can be:

-Portia Clark
Portia has been a community organizer and advocate, particularly for youth, for three decades. She helped change the name of the Nauck neighborhood to Green Valley, which was significant to its residents and the Arlington community; and was very involved in the Four Mile Run Valley Area Plan and the Jennie Dean Park renovation.

-Mark Riley
Mark oversees the Arlington Turkey Trot, which benefits local safety net organizations. For the Arlington Turkey Trot, he is the Chief Turkey, overseeing 4,000 walkers and runners, and coordinating countless volunteers. He also founded Homerun for the Homeless, a 5k benefitting multiple organizations; and provided the framework to launch the Arlington Bunny Hop 5k.

-Dr. Mike Silverman
Dr. Silverman is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at Virginia Hospital Center. Throughout the COVID crisis, in addition to working through unprecedented challenges in the emergency department, Dr. Silverman also took it upon himself to make the overwhelming amount of COVID information accessible and digestible to the public with weekly posts.

Spirit of Community sponsorship opportunities are available to individuals and businesses/organizations at all levels. Sponsorships of the celebration and luncheon support Arlington Community Foundation’s operations and mission-critical programming including scholarships, Shared Prosperity, and grants to community organizations. Visit the Spirit 2022 page or contact Natalia Muniz ([email protected]) to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.

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About Arlington Community Foundation: Arlington Community Foundation was established in 1991 to serve as a permanent community endowment built by the gifts and charitable legacies of individuals, families, and businesses for the betterment of Arlington County. As a grantmaker, convener, and sponsor of special initiatives, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen local nonprofits, encourage better understanding of the needs of Arlingtonians, and address the most critical issues of our time to ensure that our community provides opportunity for everyone. For more information on Arlington Community Foundation please visit our website at www.arlcf.org or call 703-243-4785.

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