DASH General Manager, Sandy Modell, 2017 Living Legends of Alexandria Recipient

On Tuesday, December 20, the Living Legends of Alexandria announced their 2017 recipients. Of the extraordinary Legends who were selected, DASH is honored to announce that our very own General Manager, Sandy Modell, is a recipient, along with Alexandria Transit Company Board Member, Kerry Donley.

The mission of Living Legends of Alexandria (LLA) is to identify, honor and chronicle individuals who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in Alexandria. LLA may offer programs to encourage children and youth to document the histories of family members and others in the community by means of stories, still and video photography, and art.

Selected from public nominations received throughout 2016, these community leaders were chosen through one of two criteria: They led the creation or redevelopment of something that improves the quality of life in the City of Alexandria or, improved the quality of life in the City of Alexandria through many years of service.

• Congratulations Kerry J. Donley, for his continual effort to expand the economic and business development of the City of Alexandria. (ATC Board Member)
• Congratulations Bill Euille (Former Mayor of Alexandria), for his commitment to civic engagement and improving the quality of life for many City of Alexandria residents.
• Congratulations Carter Flemming, for her countless hours of service to over twenty Alexandria organizations.
• Congratulations Gwen Mullen, for her care and commitment to develop the City of Alexandria's youth and access to better education.
• Congratulations Sandy Modell, for her dedication and effort in connecting the citizens of Alexandria through the city's mass transit system.
• Congratulations Jen Walker, for her continued support in developing the community of Del Ray through the Del Ray Business Association (Visit Del Ray)
• Congratulations Mary Anne Weber, for her continued effort to bring affordable health care and mental health awareness to the citizens of Alexandria.
• Congratulations Ethel Underwood, for her leadership and activism on Alexandria's Commission on Aging, Women in Voluntary Service to America Memorial, Inova Alexandria Hospital, Hopkins House, the Executive Committee of the NAACP and several other Alexandria organizations.

Everyone is invited to meet the new Legends at the Meet the Legends Reception on March 16, 2017. (Event details to be announced). 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Living Legends of Alexandria organization. LLA is an on-going, not-for-profit photo-documentary project that identifies, honors and chronicles people making current history in Alexandria. The Alexandria City Government Historic Alexandria Office archives this documentation so it can be remembered for years to come.

Modell helped to guide and lead the DASH organization for 28 years. She began her career at DASH in 1989 as one of very few female transit managers in the entire country. She was instrumental in growing the system from 17 buses and 30 employees to operating on 10 routes with 79 buses, 5 trolleys and more than 185 employees.

DASH is recognized nationally and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia for the service it provides and has won many outstanding achievement awards over the years for safety, creative marketing efforts, innovative programs, outstanding public transportation and service, but those are not without the leadership and direction that Modell has provided. They are not only DASH’s accomplishments, but they are also Modell’s. Modell has served as a vital role in the DASH community and as an integral part of the Alexandria community.

DASH would like to congratulate all of the 2017 Living Legends of Alexandria on their outstanding achievements.