To the editor:

As with Alexandria’s recent birthday celebration on the waterfront with fireworks, we also celebrate a rebirth of our community as COVID-19 is more and more in the rear view mirror. During the past 16 months, I came to know firsthand those who have labored from the beginning until now to deal with this crisis. It’s a long list and one we should all be proud of.

But I’m not sure our fellow citizens are truly aware of the tireless efforts of our Department of Community and Human Services to bring all who could help with this fight together as a team. As an Alexandrian whose interface with city agencies was limited in the past, I felt so blessed to have this team of skilled, caring individuals steering efforts so masterfully.

Thomas Jefferson famously said, “The measure of society is how it treats its weakest members.” I would substitute the word “community” for society. In this regard, the determination and perseverance of DCHS leaders and staff to find and assist the most vulnerable among us shows that we are indeed a community that cares for all, regardless of their status.

We celebrated our city’s birthday with a blend of relief and hope, and we also owe a special thanks to those in our city government who did so much to bring us relief and hope.

-Jim Larocco, president, Basilica of St. Mary St. Vincent de Paul Society