Alexandria celebrated Earth Day on Saturday, April 26th, 2008 at Ben Brenman Park from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Over 1,000 persons attended this event and visited the numerous displays.
Jerry Dieruf, Alexandria DEQ, gave the following calculations,
"We sold 225 trees at the Earth Day Festival. At the end of this year those 225 trees will sequester 383 pounds of carbon from the Alexandria atmosphere. The amount of carbon sequestered by those trees will increase each year. Assuming all trees survive for the next ten years; the 225 trees will be sequestering 1,890 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year. Twenty years from now those same trees will be sequestering 4,050 pounds of carbon from the Alexandria air.You can breath easier because of the work you have done."
Thanks to Joy Pochatila, Committee members and the support of several organizations who made this event a very successful celebration.
Members of the Planning Committee were:
Joy Pochatila, Earth Day Chair, EPC Peter Pennington, EPC
Congressman Jim Moran, German Vanegas and Volunteer
Discussing Wetland Model
Wetland Model
German Vanegas accepting Award
William R. Walsh presenting grant check to FOTO
Wetland Model
Joy Pochatila enjoying Colombian coffee
Mascot, Renate Vanegas, Visitors
Mascot and children
Renate Vanegas explaining display
Visiting FOTO display
William R. Walsh and Gary C. Lobaugh
Congressman Jim Moran, German Vanegas and Volunteer
Discussing Wetland Model
Wetland Model
German Vanegas accepting Award
William R. Walsh presenting grant check to FOTO
Wetland Model
Joy Pochatila enjoying Colombian coffee
SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 2006 ALEXANDRIA EARTH DAY- 9:00-12noon
The Earth Day was celebrated at the FourMileRunPark, 3700 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria. Several organizations and individuals were present. The Chirilagua Group provided latin musica entertainment and Paula Coleto served latin food. There were several environmental activities, such as Tree planting and cleaning up of the Four Mile Run.
Las festividades del Dia de la Tierra de Alexandria, en el Four Mile Run Park, 3700 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, se celebraron con la participation de varias organizaciones e individuos. La banda musical Grupo Chirilagua mostro sus capacidades artisticas con canciones latinas. Paula Coleto fue la encargada de la comida latina. Hubo varias demostraciones relacionadas con el medio ambiente, incluyendo siembra de un arbol y limpieza del Four Mile Run.
Renate, Earth Day Mascote and Alex
German Vanegas and Alexandria Gazette reporter
Children at fishing pond
Jackie, Anthony and Kourtney
Chirilagua Musical Group
Fishing Pond
Paula Coleto
German Vanegas and volunteer
Congressman Moran and Alex Vanegas
Alex Vanegas and FOTO display
Elenor Hodges and Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment
Chirilagua Musical Group
UNVEILING OF BILINGUAL SIGNS ON ALEXANDRIA EARTH DAY 2005 Foto joined the Alexandria Earth Day Planning Committee to help plan and coordinate the Alexandria Earth Day’2005 Celebration. This event took place on Saturday, April 30, 2005, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Several local elected officials were present and everyone enjoyed latin-american food prepared by Spectrum Restaurant, courtesy of FOTO. Due to rain the celebration was moved indoors to the Cora Kelly School Gymnasium.
We would like to cordially invite you to attend the launching of FOTO’s newest project, Establishing Community Gardens, at the Cedar Run Room of the McCourt Building, 1 County Complex Ct, Woodbridge, VA 22192, on Tuesday, August 25, 2015, 11am to 1pm. Directions
Dominion Foundation, one of our supporters, will also make a presentation of their ‘Giving back to the Community’ program.
Free Red Maple tree seedlings will be available on a first come first serve basis to support our Red Maple Tree Project to encourage the planting of trees.
All attendees will be entered into a raffle and will have a chance to win a free rain barrel.
Hors D’oeuvers and light refreshments will be served.
As always thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you there.
FOTO is promoting a “Digital Storytelling” among our volunteers using Flip video cameras provided by Cisco, via Techsoup. A Flip camera with the flip upload and edit software, allows the user to film, download to a computer and upload. Please send us a 2 to 3 minute video of activities that you are involved in. Preferable these activities should be related to the environment, watershed or water conservation. We will show these videos in our web page and on our youtube site.
One ant is no ant
So it is with Friends of the Occoquan. Thanks to Volunteers we have been able to accomplish our goals: “conserve our watersheds.” Some volunteers keep coming back year after year: the father/mother volunteering after their children graduated from high school, the student or scout who started volunteering during high school and now after graduating from college.To all those who faithfully return year after year we extend many THANKS!
Arianna McQuillen a volunteer wrote the following letter.
To read the "FAMILY PREPAREDNESS" message click here
WATER CONSERVATION
Continuing with our educational programs we conducted a water and watershed conservation presentation to a group of youngsters at the Lake Ridge Marina, Woodbridge, VA., June, 2011. Helga Perrin presented material covering: water conservation, wetlands, Occoquan reservoir, aquifers, etc. Assisting with this presentation was Arianna Mcquillen, who just finished Lake Braddock HS and is on her way to attend MIT. See below this page to read more about Arianne.
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Are you concerned about the devastation that decades of unchecked pollution has had on the Chesapeake Bay?
Well, here's your chance to get your voice heard! On Wednesday, October 14, Environment Virginia and their coalition partners are hosting a town hall meeting on current Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts by the EPA and Congress. Don't miss out on your opportunity to talk directly to a top EPA official and other experts about the future of the bay! Congressman Moran will be a member of the speaker panel.
When: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Where: Saint Charles Borromeo in Arlington, VA located at 3304 Washington Boulevard, near the Clarendon and Virginia Square-GMU metro stations
The EPA released their draft plan to clean the Bay on September 10th, and special advisor to the administrator for the Chesapeake Bay Chuck Fox is going to tell us what they have planned. We don’t want another year of dead zones caused by unchecked pollution from chicken mega-farms and sprawling development. This is your opportunity to tell the EPA that enough is enough.
Come to Arlington on October 14th, and make your voice heard.
Thank you for standing up for the bay!
Santa's Old Bridge Parade, November 10, 2007
Renate and German Vanegas were chosen among the three honorees as Grand Marshals forthe 12th Santa's Old Bridge Parade in Lake Ridge, VA., together with Col. Franklyn Matthews, Director of the Woodbridge High School JUNIOR ROTC program, for their contribution to the environment and for making life better in the community. Members of the Aquia Corvette Club graciously volunteered to chauffeur the Grand Marshals.
Renate Vanegas and Col. Matthews
German Vanegas and Col. Matthews
Lee, a member of Aquia Corvette Club
Woodbridge HS JUNIOR ROTC
Woodbridge HS JUNIOR ROTC
Garfield HS
Garfield HS
Mini Corvettes
Mini Corvettes
Reviewing Stand
Reviewing Stand
Public Library members
Public Library members
Freedom HS Air Force JUNIOR ROTC
Michelle McQuig, Virginia State Delegate
Mike May, PW County Occoquan Supervisor
FOTO conducted a watershed education program for a group of Summer Camp youngsters at the Lake Ridge Marina on July 24, 2006. Wetland Tray models were introduced and should be available later in the Fall to schools and other organizations. Our guest speaker for this occasion was Ms.Holly Wootten, Environmental Engineer and Outreach Specialist for PWSWCD.
Holly Wootten
Presentation Tools
Holly and attendees
FOTO News, October, 2006
Laura Grape has moved to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission as a Senior Environmental Planner and the Editor of NVironment, a publication of NVRC. Laura is a supporter of FOTO and actively participated in several of our programs such as the cleanup for Fountainhead and design of the International/Bilingual Signs. Laura can be reached at lgrape@novaregion.org.
Clair Blanchard completed the Occoquan Water Trails, a 40-mile water trail paddling adventure beginning at Bull Run Regional Park and continuing to the Rte 28 Bridge in Centreville; Bull Run Marina; Fountainhead Regional Park; Lake Ridge Marina; Occoquan Regional Park; Mason neck State Park and ending at Pohick Bay Regional Park. This Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority project is part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. On October 4, 2006 German A. Vanegas, as a FOTO project partner, attended the last meeting of the project partners conducted by Claire. For more information contact CLAIRE BLANCHARD CBLANCHA@nvrpa.org.
FOTO NEWS, December, 2005.
Norah Lovato, one of our directors who now resides in California, was in Washington, DC for the past three weeks, to help with the Red Cross relief effort.
Alex and Betty Vanegas collected 426 lbs of food articles and delivered it to the Capital Area Food Bank. Click here to read FoodBank Letter
Renate and German Vanegas joined the Johns Hopkins University alumni to answer phones during WETA’s pledge drive.
Ray Sandwick, FOTO director, and his wife Toni, returned from one year stay in Switzerland. The Sandwicks reside in the Plains, VA.
The Alexandria City Earth Day Committee has invited FOTO to participate in next year's event. German A. Vanegas attended the initial meeting held on December 12, 2005 in Alexandria, where a tentative date was set for April 22, 2006 to celebrate this event. FOTO will work with the Spanish speaking community of Northern Virginia to make this Earth Day celebration a success.
"Saving our Watersheds - Beyond the Occoquan"
Comcast broadcasted our bilingual educational video on Channel 3, Prince William County Cable, from Saturday, December 17, 2005 at 7:30 PM and continued for several weeks.
This English-Spanish video, sponsored by FOTO, directed and produced by Jerry Ferguson, Development Manager of Fairfax Public Access, and funded by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Altria Group, was shown on Channels 10 and 30, Cox Cable-FFXCo. The Spanish version was broadcasted on Saturday, December 3, 2005, 2:00pm Sunday, December 4, 2005, 8:30pm
For information and comments please contact German Vanegas at 703 624-7124.
AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM OF ENGAGING THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, FOTO SPONSORED TWO EVENTS, ONE IN THE FALL’04 AND ANOTHER IN THE SPRING’05.
EVENT AT JENNIE DEAN PARK, FOUR MILE RUN, ARLINGTON.
The first event took place on Saturday, November 13, 2004, 12 noon to 2 pm, when we joined forces with Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment to organize a cleanup of the Four Mile Run. FOTO provided snacks and refreshments. Volunteers received a certificate of appreciation from Governor Warner of Virginia.
Thirty seven volunteers met at the park along the Jennie Dean Park and collected several trash bags, mattresses and other heavy objects. The following volunteers participated:
David Aburto Garcia
Ricardo Alvarado Lopez
Hugo Ardon Morales
James Bosso
Juan Martinez
Richard Stern
Melissa Avenius
Doug Grepier
Andres Tobar
Carlos Corea
Cristobal Montoya
FedericoNy
Ali Legnos
Hien Vuong
Andrew Yao
Jiali Bai
Emily Barnes
Jonathan Hakakian
Norvin Stevens
Kurt Stevens
Matthew Wilson
M. Nesh
Jose Eleazar Ventura
Carlos Geovanny Montes
Audrey Ford
Katie Schuette
Julie Ann Miranda-Brobeck
Patrick Heydori
Joshua Lee
Cervando Uria
Juan Torres
Juan Ramon
Jaime Omar
Juan Ramon Funez
Juan Ventura
Elenor Hodges
German A. Vanegas
The Jennie Dean Park is located in Shirlington, next to the Four Mile Run, 3630 27th Street, Arlington, VA, where several bilingual signs have been posted.
Alex Vanegas, State Attorney General Jerry Kilgore; Sean Connaugton, Chairman, P.W. County Board of Supvr.
OCCOQUAN CELEBRATION 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT OCTOBER 19, 2002 TOWN OF OCCOQUAN, VIRGINIA
FOTO Presented Certificates of Appreciation to Stakeholders for their efforts to improve the environment.
Hon. Tom Davis, US Congressman
Hon. Kate Hanley, Chairman, Board of Supervisors, FairfaxCounty.
Hon. Elaine McConnell, Springfield Supervisor, FairfaxCounty
Hon. Leo Smith, Councilman, Town of Occoquan
Claudia Cruise, Clerk, Town of Occoquan
Merrili Pierce, Environmentalist, FairfaxCounty
General Al Akers, Occoquan Watershed Coalition
Bill Cole, Occoquan Watershed Coalition
Nancy Finucan, PW Soil Conservation District
Julia Claypool, Northern Virginia Park Authority
Tracy Hannigan, PW Park Authority
Dave Fellers, No. Virginia Park Authority
Aileen Streng, Potomac News
Randi Deiotte-Reid, OldBridge Observer
Mike Rissenman, OccoquanRegionalPark
Janet Ellis, PW Clean Community Council
Deb Oliver, PW Public Works
Kim Hosen, Environmentalist
Cliff Fairweather, Audobon Society
John Rothrock, FOTO
John Chandler, FOTO
Bill Olson, FOTO
Bud Kraft, FOTO
Jug Jadgonik, LakeBraddock Crew Boosters
Masters of Ceremony: Alex Vanegas and Bud Kraft
Bill Cole, Gen. Al Akers, Bud Kraft
Alex Vanegas, Leo Smith, Bud Kraft
Alex Vanegas, Leo Smith, Bud Kraft
Alex Vanegas, Nancy Finucan, Bud Kraft
Kate Hanley, Alex Vanegas
Alex Vanegas, Nancy Finucan, Bud Kraft
Alex Vanegas, Ruth Griggs, Bud Kraft
Alex Vanegas, Ruth Griggs, Bud Kraft
Sean Connaughton, Bud Kraft
Sean Connaughton
Sean Connaughton
Mike May
Bonnie Nahas
Tracy Hannigan
Tracy Hannigan
Kack Koogoomjian
Alex vanegas and Kate Hanley
Ruth Griggs
Ruth Griggs
Opening Ceremony
Opening Ceremony
Julia Claypool
John Chandler
Alex Vanegas and Bud Kraft
Award Recipients
Award Recipients
German A. Vanegas, Jug and Christina Jagodnik, Bud Kraft
German Vanegas & Cong. Tom Davis
INTERNATIONAL/BILINGUAL SIGN PROJECT
An international/bilingual sign for the Four Mile Run of Arlington and Alexandria has been completed and will soon be installed. Katherine Mull and Bill Hicks, Northern Virginia Regional Commission; Aileen Winquist and Howard Hudgins, Arlington County; Judy Lo and Tom Wassaff, City of Alexandria; Laura Grape, Fairfax County; Elenor Hodges, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment; and Germán Vanegas, FOTO, met several times and developed the sign shown below. All of the above mentioned deserve our thanks and appreciation, especially Aileen who was the coordinator and Laura and Judy who suggested new approaches to the design. Our next step will be the installation of 12 signs along the Four Mile Run. We will be notifying the public of this upcoming event through this website and other media outlets.
FOTO will continue with its efforts to keep our watersheds clean and encourage all Virginians to become stakeholders of our rivers and streams. We will engage the Spanish speaking community, especially those that do not speak English. FOTO is going to enlist the help of Hispanic organizations such as Soccer Leagues, Churches, TV and radio stations, and other local community organizations.
Aside from the sign installation at the Four Mile Run, FOTO has plans to install signs in Fairfax county, City of Alexandria, Northern Virginia Park Authority installations, Prince William county and Town of Occoquan.
WATER QUALITY MONITORING FOTO has established three specific goals for this project. 1. To obtain useful biological, chemical and physical data to assess the quality of the OccoquanRiver. 2. To assess water quality changes that occur over a three-year period near transportation areas, bridges, that intersect the river and tributaries. 3. To train and educate citizens with the basic skills and knowledge to effectively monitor the Occoquan Watershed.
FY 2003 FOTO Water Quality Program
Water Quality Monitoring was conducted during the months of May –October 2003 at the following sites within the Occoquan Watershed.
