Commending Shrine Mont.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Timmy French and 2 co-sponsors

Virginia General Assembly commends Shrine Mont for 100 years of service, honoring its role in the Shenandoah Valley and directing a copy of the resolution to be given to Shrine Mont.

Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ287ER)

Summary: Senate Joint Resolution No. 287 (SJ287) — Commending Shrine Mont

Overview

SJ287ER is an enrolled ceremonial resolution introduced January 20, 2025, expressing the Virginia General Assembly’s commendation of Shrine Mont, a conference and retreat center in Orkney Springs, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. The resolution acknowledges Shrine Mont’s historical roots, community impact, and ongoing contributions to the Shenandoah Valley and the Commonwealth. The enrolled version (SJ287ER) reflects passage by both chambers in late January 2025.

Purpose and Intent

Officially commend Shrine Mont for a century of service and community engagement.

Acknowledge Shrine Mont’s role as a gathering place for residents and visitors and its cultural and religious significance in the Shenandoah Valley.

Direct the Clerk of the Senate to prepare and present a copy of the resolution to Shrine Mont representatives as a formal expression of admiration and best wishes.

Background and Historical Context (as presented in the bill)

Shrine Mont is located in Orkney Springs and has operated for 100 years as a conference and retreat center.

Key historical milestones mentioned:

1925: Reverend Dr. Edmund Lee Woodward built the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration and established Shrine Mont as “A Place Apart for All.”
1940: Art Hall was constructed to house the art collection of John Douglas Woodward and to serve as a cultural hub for western Shenandoah County.
1950s-1980s: Wilmer Moomaw and family leadership helped solidify Shrine Mont’s local ties, oversee property renovations (including the Orkney Springs Hotel in 1979), and promote nonprofit status for historic preservation and cultural education.
Shrine Mont today hosts about 15,000 guests annually through conferences, parish retreats, youth camps, artist workshops, the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, and family reunions.

Provisions and Changes

The core provision is a ceremonial “commend Shrine Mont” resolution:

Recognizes Shrine Mont’s 100-year legacy and its service to the Commonwealth and Shenandoah County.
Instructs the Clerk of the Senate to provide Shrine Mont with a copy of the resolution as a formal gesture of admiration.

No funding authorization, statutory changes, or policy shifts are included in this resolution.

Legislative History and Timeline

Introduced: January 20, 2025.

Senate action: Engrossed January 23, 2025; agreed to by Senate by voice vote January 23, 2025.

House action: Agreed to by House of Delegates by voice vote January 27, 2025.

Enrolled: January 28, 2025 (SJ287ER).

Notable procedural notes: The bill text as passed reflects the enrolled form; the Patrons listed are Senators French and McDougle and Delegate Gilbert.

Impact and Beneficiaries

Beneficiary: Shrine Mont and its surrounding Shenandoah County community, through formal recognition and documentation of its century of service.

Broader impact: Public acknowledgment by the General Assembly of a historic cultural and religious nonprofit organization, with potential positive visibility for the Shenandoah Valley.

Fiscal/Administrative Notes

The resolution is ceremonial and does not authorize spending or create statutory obligations beyond formal commendation.