ROBERT GEORGE FORBES

1950-2020

Bob Forbes came to Vienna Youth Inc. (VYI) because of lacrosse. His son played VYI lacrosse before moving on to Gonzaga College High School to continue his playing career. Bob started attending VYI Board meetings shortly after his son completed his VYI career and was named to VYI’s Board of Directors as an advisor. While Bob was not a coach or sport commissioner for VYI, his intelligence and people management skills were recognized by the Board and when David Clarke resigned in 2005, Bob was elected by the membership as President of the club.

Bob led VYI through a period of significant growth in its history following the turbulent times of the late 1900s and early 2000s when VYI was developing its sports programs and stabilizing financially. While Bob was President of VYI capital projects were proposed by the Board and completed to the benefit of the Fairfax County School system through the auspices of large donations from VYI. Putting artificial turf on Waters Field in the Town of Vienna was funded by a grant from VYI. Madison HS improved its field complex with artificial turfing through a grant from VYI, as did both Oakton HS and Marshall HS, which completed turfing multiple playing fields with VYI’s assistance.

VYI continued its efforts at helping the community schools during Bob’s tenure by expanding the Vienna Equipment Building near the community center and creating a track at Marshall Roads Elementary School for children’s exercise.  During Bob’s tenure VYI started a Rugby program, funded the replacement of gym floors at several local elementary schools, and added stanchions, nets, and other equipment necessary to start volleyball programs throughout the area.  Most recently, in 2018, VYI donated $1,000,000 to the Town of Vienna to help complete the refurbishment of the Vienna Community Center including the building of a large gymnasium suitable for HS sports.

During the past 15 years, a period of VYI’s tremendous growth for VYI, Bob helped the organization achieve success, not only in providing the many seasons of team sports each year, but also in being a staunch advocate of improving children’s lives through donations to schools in the community. Bob became a member of VYI’s Hall of Fame in 2007.

When Bob resigned in early 2020 due to his health, the Board was saddened at his departure and the loss of his able leadership through the years. Bob remained in touch with the VYI Board and only two weeks prior to his passing, he was writing emails asking about how things were progressing. Bob will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, and all those in the community he helped so much.