Happenings

The First Lady was honored to host Morgan’s parents, Dona and Kurt Rodgers and ambassadors from Morgan’s Message for tea. Morgan’s Message is a non-profit established in memory of Morgan Rodgers with the goal of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and who provide support to save lives. To learn more about Morgan’s Message click here, and visit our holiday tab to see our Morgan’s Message Christmas tree.

Governor Glenn Youngkin and the First Lady welcomed some of the families of deployed Virginia National Guard members to enjoy the Executive Mansion over the holidays. A special thank you to Fork Union Military Academy’s amazing band, directed by John Warren, for filling the Mansion with music!

The First Lady hosted a luncheon with the International Friendship Club, a group of remarkable female elected and appointed officials, philanthropists, leaders in the fields of medicine, education, finance and the arts, as well as ambassadors to the United States and their spouses. Special thanks to the Ambassador of Tunisia, Hanene Tajouri Bessassi, for her attendance and service.

Happy Halloween! This year, Governor Youngkin and the First Lady welcomed Virginia law enforcement and their families to trick-or-treat at the Executive Mansion in appreciation for their commitment to making this Commonwealth a place that is far safer than it is scary. Thank you to the Capitol Square Police Force, Virginia State Police, the Executive Protection Unit and Richmond Police Department’s Special Operations Unit for all that you do!  

In honor of Virginia Wine Month, Governor Youngkin and the First Lady held a reception to celebrate and promote the ever-expanding wine industry in the Commonwealth. Virginia is home to over 300 wineries that welcome more than two million visitors each year, making the wine industry a valuable and cherished aspect of Virginia tourism. First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin would like to thank Barboursville Vineyards, the Virginia Wine Board and the Agriculture and Forestry Secretariat for their collaboration in the making of Cornus Virginicus, a wine that tributes Virginia’s agribusiness, burgeoning wine scene and winemakers. To learn more about the making of Cornus Virginicus, click here. 

In recognition of the incredible efforts of dedicated volunteers in the Commonwealth, Governor Youngkin held a reception in celebration and appreciation for the Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards honorees and their families. Thank you to the Virginia Service Commission, the Governor’s Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism and the outstanding individuals and organizations who made this event possible! 

On October 11th, 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin held a reception celebrating National Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month, featuring a beautiful performance from the Latin Ballet of Virginia. Governor Youngkin read a proclamation recognizing October 11th, 2022 as the Miyares Family Day in the Commonwealth of Virginia, honoring the courage, sacrifices, commitment to hard work and public servitude of Attorney General Jason Miyares, his mother Miriam Maria Miyares, his wife, Page Atkinson Miyares and their daughters. Read the proclamation here. 

The Executive Mansion hosted its first Boots on the Square event Welcoming Virginia state employees and four-legged friends, guests listened to music by K95 Richmond and munched on fresh popped kettle corn from Blue Ridge Kettle Korn. Special thanks to Jessica Hendrickson and the On the Square VA team for making this event possible and to the Richmond Mounted Police for joining in the day.

Congratulations to Robin Shrum from Woodstock, Virginia on your 614-pound ‘Glenn Pumpkin,’ which won 1st prize at the Virginia State Fair for “prettiest pumpkin” – and 3rd in the Great Pumpkin competition! Observed in October, Virginia Pumpkin Month acknowledges the important role that the cultivation, marketing and selling of pumpkins plays in the Commonwealth’s agricultural economy, making pumpkins an important part of Virginia and #homehistory. Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin celebrate the hard work and dedication of the Shrum family and the nearly 400 pumpkin growers across the Commonwealth. 

On Thursday, September 29th, 2022, College Run Farms of Surry, Virginia came to Virginia’s Executive Mansion to drop off a bounty of pumpkins, gourds and squashes as part of an annual tradition.

The Executive Mansion of Virginia commemorates the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In remembrance of the Commonwealth’s relationship with the monarch, a photo from Queen Elizabeth II’s 2007 visit to the Executive Mansion with former governor Tim Kaine will be on display in the entrance hall through the month of September.

Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin held a reception at the Executive Mansion for members of the Virginia Craft Brewer’s Guild in celebration of Virginia’s robust craft brewing industry.

On August 18th, our friends at Homestead Creamery in Burnt Chimney, Virginia traveled to the Executive Mansion to give us a sweet, end-of-summer treat.

On August 17th, the First Lady hosted the Executive Mansion’s team of docent tour guides for tea.

On July 13th, the First Lady hosted a lunch for the Governor’s Fellows at the Executive Mansion.