Vice Mayor Kerry Donley and Chuck Benagh, chair of the Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities, honored Bishop Ireton graduate Casey Brushnahan and longtime resident Tom Sachs Tuesday evening. 

Brushnahan earned this years Gerry Bertier Scholarship. Bertier, for whom the gymnasium at T.C. Williams is named, was a linebacker on the schools celebrated 1971 team. Bertier was grievously injured in a car crash and became a paraplegic. Before his death in 1981, Bertier became an advocate for the disabled.  

Sachs was honored with the John Duty Collins III Outstanding Advocate for Persons with Disabilities Award for his 21 years of service on the commission. Collins, the commissions founder, led efforts to make Alexandria more handicapped-accessible in his lifetime. 

We value all Alexandrians, whether theyre disabled or not, gay or straight, black or white, Donley said. This is really a ceremony where we get to talk about the stuff thats really important to us.