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Hereby declaring the week of October 1st through October 8th as the second annual “Philadelphia Legacy Week,” which will be set aside to commemorate major contributions by Philadelphia individuals and institutions.
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WHEREAS, Philadelphia Legacy Week is dedicated to creating a deeper understanding of Philadelphia’s unique place in the history of the United States – past and present. The celebration was established in 2016 as an annual observance to educate and strengthen awareness of the City’s diverse cultural heritage and its importance as a destination for visitors from around the world; and
WHEREAS, The second annual Philadelphia Legacy Week, to be celebrated the week of October 1st through October 8th, will include historic tours, lectures and presentations at local schools and libraries. The highlight of the observance is the awards dinner on Sunday, October 1, 2017 at the Seaport Museum, where four honorees will be recognized for their outstanding contributions. The 2017 Philadelphia Legacy Week honorees are John Chaney, Walter P. Lomax, Jr., Ruth Wright Hayre, and Dr. David Shulkin; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia native Walter P. Lomax spent more than three decades as a medical practitioner, businessman and generous philanthropist. Lomax was a graduate of several Philadelphia institutions, including LaSalle University, Hahnemann Medical College, and Albert Einstein Medical Center. Soon after completing his schooling, Lomax wanted to better serve his community by opening his first medical clinic in South Philadelphia. His practice grew from a private, single practitioner office to Lomax Medical Associates, a multi-site group practice with over 20 well-trained physicians. Dr. Lomax even had the opportunity to provide treatment to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968; and
WHEREAS, John Chaney was a championship basketball coach for Philadelphia’s Temple University. Before retiring, Chaney dedicated 24-years to developing a nationally competitive and championship winning team. Coach Chaney was a committed teacher that expected excellence from his athletes not only on the court, but also academically. As a dedicated coach, Chaney had a long and successful career supporting his athletes and helping them reach extraordinary records like winning 741 career games and ranking #1 in the nation by NCAA. Coach Chaney was inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Philadelphia Area Small-College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Ruth Wright Hayre is a distinguished educator, administrator, and philanthropist. In 1933, after completing her undergraduate work in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, Hayre then went on to earn her Master’s Degree in English Literature. Because of her race, Hayre was denied several teaching positions in Philadelphia, so she moved to Arkansas. In 1939, she returned to Philadelphia and was offered a position at Cheyney University. In 1949, Hayre returned to the University of Pennsylvania to complete her Ph.D. in education. Dr. Hayre is the founder of “Tell Them We Are Rising,” which was a trust fund established for 119 Philadelphia students to help pay for college. In honor of Dr. Hayre, the School District of Philadelphia established the Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre Teacher of the Year Award; and
WHEREAS, Secretary of Veteran Affairs, David Shulkin, is closely connected to several medical schools and other institutions in Philadelphia. While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, Shulkin was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar. Shulkin has served as Chief Medical Officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Temple University, and the Medical College of Pennsylvania Hospital. Presently, Shulkin oversees one of the largest government agencies, Veteran Affairs, and was recently named one of the country’s top “Healthcare Leaders for the Next Century” by Modern Healthcare; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby declares the week of October 1st through October 8th as the second annual “Philadelphia Legacy Week,” which will be set aside to commemorate major contributions by Philadelphia individuals and institutions.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be made to commemorate this event as evidence of the sincere respect and appreciation of this legislative body.
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