Monday, June 11, 2012
A large network of area organ donors, transplant recipients, and their family and friends ran or walked five kilometers in the town of Occoquan on June 10 to raise funds for the Washington Regional Transplant Community.
The often used expression “run for your life” took on new meaning in Occoquan on Sunday as over 600 runners and walkers participated in the Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) Race to Donate Life 5K. As the crowd gathered near the Mill House Museum and awaited the race’s 9 a.m. start, an atmosphere of camaraderie spread among participants who were not only running for themselves, but also for the lives of those who donated and those who benefitted from organ, tissue, and eye transplants. Friends and family members of donors wore team t-shirts to commemorate and celebrate life, while embracing the bittersweet emotions associated with organ and tissue donation of deceased loved ones. “This week I visited all the recipients of …
Friday, June 8, 2012
The race will be Sunday at 9 a.m.
The Washington Regional Transplant Community will hold its third annual Race to Donate Life 5K Sunday in Occoquan. "WRTC wishes to increase the number of individuals who receive the message about the dire need for organ, eye and tissue donors through our 5K,” said Cindy Speas, WRTC’s director of Community Affairs. “Hosting the race in the Town of Occoquan this year will allow us to expand the number of participants, and allow more people to see and hear the stories of how donations save lives." Participants in the race include recipients of organ, eye and tissue donations. About 113,000 people nationwide currently need an organ transplant, and several thousand more need a tissue transplant, according to the group. To find out more about …
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Occoquan Town Council still met outside at 7 p.m., as was originally planned so that Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta could watch the transit.
Those who hoped to see the transit of Venus from the Occoquan and Lorton areas were disappointed tonight, as clouds covered the sun only minutes before the transit was set to start. Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta set up his telescope on a grassy hill overlooking Vulcan Materials on Ox Road in Lorton. Though the sky was partially cloudy shortly before 6 p.m., the sun was still visible in the lens until about 6 p.m., when thick clouds covered the sun until sundown. The transit began at about 6:03 p.m. Porta, an amateur astronomer, uses an eight inch SCT telescope, which tonight was equipped with solar filters to shield the eyes of those interested in observing the transit. A small crowd of about 25 people gathered, but they slowly dispersed …
Monday, June 4, 2012
The next council meeting is June 5.
On Tuesday, June 5, the Occoquan Town Council will hold its regular monthly council meeting. This time, however, it may in fact be a very special meeting, for the Town Council on that date will convene outdoors in an area provided by Vulcan Materials, just across the Occoquan River in Fairfax County. The purpose of the meeting outdoors is to give Town residents and other participants an opportunity to witness the rare astronomical occurrence known as a transit of Venus, part of which will occur as the council meeting is taking place. Transits of Venus—when the planet Venus appears to cross the disk of the Sun—are rare events that occur roughly once a century in pairs eight years apart. The most recent transit occurred in 2004, and this …
The transit of Venus is a rare occurrence: it won't happen again until 2117.
A celestial phenomenon will occur on June 5, and it (probably) won't happen again in your lifetime. The transit of Venus will be visible in Virginia shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday. Venus will look like a black dot as it passes in front of the sun. This will be the last opportunity to see Venus in transit until 2117. The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is setting up a number of viewing parties to celebrate the event. As they put it in a press release: "It's like the Kentucky Derby for a horse. You get one shot at this in your lifetime." Here's where to watch the transit of Venus locally: Like our Facebook page for instant local updates! For those who are unable to leave the house, NASA will also live-stream the event. Transits of Venus …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
According to unofficial results, the write-in votes were not enough to push anyone out of office.
Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta and incumbent council members Ken Brunsvold, Denise Bush, Elizabeth Quist, Patrick Sivigny and James Walbert have all retained their seats for another two years, according to unofficial results from the Virginia State Board of Elections website. Porta won reelection with 87 votes. There were six write-in votes in the Mayor's race. In the council members' race, Brunsvold won 83 votes, Bush won 78, Quist won 79, Sivigny won 77, Walbert won 78, and there were 15 write-in votes. What do you think of the results? What do you hope Porta and the council members will accomplish in the next two years?
Gayle Whitlock
3:28 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
Great article Stephanie! Thanks to Taylor's family for sharing their story as well. more ›