Friends of Accotink and the Town of Vienna Storm Drain Marking
April 15, 2006
Friends of Accotink Creek is happy to post the press release of Friends of Accotink, Inc. whose volunteers joined forces with the Town of Vienna's Department of Public Works to mark storm drains in the Town on April 15, 2006. Their environmental awareness project was planned in conjunction with the Vienna Community Center's 40th Anniversary Celebration.

Volunteer workers marked 53 storm drains with a colorful decal bearing a "No Dumping" message, reminding residents that what goes in storm drains ultimately flows to the imperiled Chesapeake Bay. Teams included State Delegate Steve Shannon and Vienna Town Council Member Laurie Genevro Cole. Along the route volunteers also picked up trash and distributed informational fliers to residents.

"This was our first volunteer effort in Vienna, and I'm really pleased with its success," said Cole, who is also a founding Board Member of Friends of Accotink. "People we met along the route were very interested in the project and enthusiastic about protecting the Chesapeake."

Deborah Reyher, President of Friends of Accotink ("FOA") and co-founder of www.FairGrowthNetwork.org, a coalition of community groups, including FOA, concerned about the widespread effects of rampant development, emphasized the importance of protecting local watersheds in saving the Bay. "Whatever is washed into storm drains flows into our streams untreated. This 'non-point source' pollution is a major factor in the Bay's increasing inability to sustain aquatic life. What happens on our streets has a very real effect on the Chesapeake Bay."

Friends of Accotink looks forward to coordinating more service and educational programs with the Town. "We are in a great position to help each other to help our environment," said Cole.

Volunteers assembled to collect materials provided by Vienna's Department of Public Works before setting out to mark storm drains. Front row, from l-r: Holly Chu, DPW; Mayor Jane Seeman; Del. Steve Shannon; Council Member Laurie Genevro Cole; Friends of Accotink, Inc. President Deborah Reyher; Friends of Accotink Creek (a sister group to FOA) representative Philip Latasa. Back row: Sean Ji, Tucker Cole, Wiley Cole.

Friends of Accotink President Deborah Reyher demonstrates storm drain marking technique for volunteers. l-r: Council Member Laurie Genevro Cole, Tucker Cole, Wiley Cole, Sean Ji (kneeling), Philip Latasa, Deborah Reyher, and Del. Steve Shannon.