Virginia Horan
Guilderland Town Board Member:  1980 - 1983

First Democrat elected to the
Guilderland Town Board in the Twentieth Century

The Virginia Horan Community Service Award was established by Bill Aylward in 1991, and is awarded annually by The Guilderland Democrat Committee to a worthy individual in special recognition of the outstanding community service and contributions that they have made on behalf of the residents of the Town of Guilderland and the Capital District Region.  See a list of all the recipients of the award.

Virginia studied at St. Peter's Hospital School of Nursing and Russell Sage College, completed courses in cardiovascular risk leadership at Skidmore, occupational health nursing at New York University - Cornell Medical Group and studied budgeting and public administration at SUNY Albany.

Virginia was employed as Director of Nursing, a state-wide managerial position, for the New York State Employee Health Service.  She also held other medical and administrative positions in government and private industry.

In addition to raising children, pursuing a career and holding elected office, Virginia found the time to volunteer many hours of time to the various organizations and activities.  Virginia was President of District No. 9, of the New York State Nurses Association; founder and President and Chairman of the Board of the New York State Organization of Management/Confidential Employees, Inc., and a member of the Board of Directors, of the N.E. Region, N.Y.S. Public Health Association.

  She was often called upon as a lecturer and a panelist at many State Government and Nursing programs and was a volunteer with the Salvation Army, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and also was a Girl Scout Leader.

She was a communicant of Christ the King Church, where she was also a lector and a minister to the sick.  She was an outspoken advocate for the preservation of the Pine Bush, as well as the Town's water resources, and a strong supporter of its senior citizens. For example, she vigorously advocated for the improvement of subsidized housing for the tenants of Brandywine Apartments.

Virginia also held a private pilot's license and her hobbies included beekeeping and raising show rabbits.

Virginia and her husband, Richard, resided on Foundry Rd. in Guilderland for many years and were the parents of six children.

Virginia was elected to Guilderland Town Board in November 1979.  She was the first Democrat in 122 years to win a seat on the Republican-dominated Town Board, and achieved the further distinction of being the first Democratic woman to be elected to the Guilderland Town Board.  She believed that her first term on the board was challenging but provided an opportunity to demonstrate her qualifications and her fairness in treating the issues facing the Town.  Although she did not win her Town Board re-election bid in 1983, she campaigned with "great relish". 

Rather than viewing politics as an end in itself, Virginia described it as a procedure, a criteria of the necessary behavior required to accomplish things.  She described herself as follows:  "I am truly a caring person about people, the Town of Guilderland and our future". 

Virginia was very dedicated to Town issues. Through her outspoken concern on the Town Board, she brought crucial issues to public scrutiny.  In spite of initially being the lone Democrat and the only woman on the Board, she was able to propose significant resolutions to better the lives of the residents of Guilderland. 

While on the Town Board, Virginia introduced Town legislation for building sidewalks along Route 155, from Western Avenue to Farnsworth Middle School.  Virginia introduced the "meals on wheels" program for all seniors who were in need of such a service. Of utmost concern to her was that all Town residents should have quality drinking water.

Virginia Horan was a truly remarkable woman and will long be remembered for her commitment to her family, the Town of Guilderland and the Town's Democratic Party and not only for her service as a Member on  the Town Board, but also for her remarkable contribution of many hundreds of hours of volunteer service to her community.