2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

ENROLLED

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2035

Commending The Dairy Godmother.

Agreed to by the Senate, June 22, 2026

WHEREAS, for 25 years, The Dairy Godmother in Alexandria has provided the community with fresh, delicious frozen custard and other sweet treats, becoming a beloved institution of the Del Ray neighborhood; and

WHEREAS, The Dairy Godmother was founded by Wisconsin native Liz Davis, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and cooked at a number of restaurants before opening her custard shop on Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray in 2000; and

WHEREAS, when Liz Davis was ready to retire, The Dairy Godmother nearly closed before current owner and chef Russell Gravatt, who had been a longtime patron of the shop, embraced the opportunity to buy the business and guide its next chapter; and

WHEREAS, The Dairy Godmother's signature offering is its homemade frozen custard, which strictly adheres to a consistency of at least 1.4 percent egg yolk and 10 percent milk fat and comes in vanilla, chocolate, and a flavor of the day; and

WHEREAS, The Dairy Godmother is renowned for its other delectable desserts, affectionately referred to as “nostalgic treats,” such as peach cobbler, sticky toffee pudding cake, and a variety of sorbets and ice pops; and

WHEREAS, on June 4, 2021, National Donut Day, Russell Gravatt opened Just Fine Donuts within The Dairy Godmother, satisfying the neighborhood's craving for specialty handmade vegan donuts; and

WHEREAS, President Barack Obama famously visited The Dairy Godmother with his daughters in 2009, cementing the shop's place in the history and lore of Del Ray; and

WHEREAS, with an unwavering commitment to quality, excellence, and service, The Dairy Godmother has helped to make Alexandria a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That The Dairy Godmother hereby be commended on the occasion of its 25th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Russell Gravatt, owner of The Dairy Godmother, as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the business's contributions to Alexandria and the Commonwealth.