1Recognizing "Martha's Run" to be held on April 13, 2013, and the
2community fundraising efforts to renovate and maintain
3playgrounds.

4WHEREAS, Martha's Run is an event exemplifying the life and
5legacy of Martha Dixon and her love of running; and

6WHEREAS, Martha Dixon was born January 10, 1959, in Mt.
7Lebanon, Pennsylvania, where she graduated from Mt. Lebanon High
8School in 1977 and continued her education at the University of
9Pittsburgh, from which she graduated in 1982 with a degree in
10chemistry; and

11WHEREAS, Ms. Dixon began her professional career in Little
12Rock, Arkansas, at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory where she
13worked as a forensic chemist analyzing crime scenes and
14providing expert testimony on behalf of the State of Arkansas;
15and

16WHEREAS, Ms. Dixon became an agent of the Federal Bureau of
17Investigation (FBI) in 1987; and

1WHEREAS, Ms. Dixon was then assigned to the Knoxville,
2Tennessee, FBI Field Office, where, among other assignments, she
3negotiated and resolved the uprising at the Talladega Federal
4Correctional Institution in August 1991; and

5WHEREAS, Her participation in this event enabled agents to
6successfully force entry into the prison, which had been
7overtaken by prisoners, returned control to prison officials,
8for which Ms. Dixon was decorated for her bravery; and

9WHEREAS, In 1992, Ms. Dixon was transferred from the
10Knoxville field office to the Washington, DC, Main Field Office
11(WMFO) of the FBI and assigned to the Cold Case Homicide Task
12Force to assist the Washington, DC, Metro Police Force in
13determining unsolved crimes; and

14WHEREAS, On November 22, 1994, Special Agent Dixon made the
15ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the FBI as she responded to
16gunfire in the Cold Case Division area of the WMFO; and

17WHEREAS, By injuring the perpetrator, Ms. Dixon prevented the
18possibility of an even greater loss of human life and injury to
19fellow law enforcement agents and civilians within the building;
20and

21WHEREAS, Ms. Dixon has been awarded several honors, including
22the FBI Memorial Star, the FBI Commendation for Meritorious
23Service, the FBI Medal of Valor, the Michael John Buczek Medal
24of Honor, the FBI Agents Association's J. Edgar Hoover Memorial
25Award for Valor, the Attorney General's Award for Bravery, the
26naming of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office in her honor,
27recognition on numerous memorial plaques and the 2006
28Outstanding Mt. Lebanon High School Alumni Award; and

29WHEREAS, In memory of Ms. Dixon, her family initiated the
30Martha Fund that holds an annual fundraiser, "Martha's Run,"

1which is an event exemplifying Ms. Dixon's love of running; and

2WHEREAS, Donations to the Martha Fund are used to build or
3renovate and maintain playgrounds, and to date several public
4playgrounds have been erected in her honor, including Martha's
5Playground in Mt. Lebanon Main Park; and

6WHEREAS, These playgrounds offer children a safe place to
7play; therefore be it

8RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the community efforts
9established and continued with "Martha's Run," to be held on
10April 13, 2013, to honor the life of Martha Dixon, who paid the
11ultimate sacrifice in service to and protection of others.