Established in 1991, the Friends of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail — FOWOD for short — is a citizen-driven organization dedicated to protecting and improving the W&OD Trail. You can join us by visiting NOVA Parks and selecting the option that fits your budget.
The most visible manifestation of the FOWOD is the Trail Patrol, the members of which volunteer their time to travel the trail in different modes, promoting safe use of the trail and providing assistance and information as needed. Contact us to learn more about it by visiting Trail Patrol.
The governing body of the FoWOD consists of up to 15 residents of Northern Virginia who, living in jurisdictions that are located either on or near the W&OD Trail, have a variety of recreational interests in it. The current members of the FoWOD Board:
| Name, Title | Jurisdiction |
| Kelley Westenhoff, President | Fairfax County |
| Judith Collins, Vice President | Arlington County |
| Laura Robinson, Treasurer & Trail Patrol President | Fairfax County |
| John Harwell, Recording Secretary | Falls Church |
| Bill McCarthy, Web Curator | Loudoun County |
| Dawn Burke, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Bob Evans, Member-at-Large | Fairfax County |
| David Jackino, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Krishnan Saidapet, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Jerry Tucker, Member-at-Large | Town of Herndon |
| Kevin Casalenuovo, Park Manager | |
| Andy Kaganowich, Park Specialist |
Meetings
Board meetings are held every second Tuesday at 7 PM. Our Board meetings are held virtually in order to accommodate board members who live at opposite ends of the trail. Members of FoWOD are always welcome. Please contact the W&OD Trail Manager for an access code.
Activities
The FoWOD supports numerous activities on the trail. These include:
- Portable toilets at necessary locations
- Funding for refurbishing/updating interpretive panels
- Funding for and participation in safety promotions in the park
- Funding for landscaping enhancements
- Tabling at schools located along the trail to enhance safety for everyone
- Trail clean-ups as needed
- Happy Hours for Trail Patrol and members of FoWOD
- Presence at Bike2Work, Loudoun County Public Library’s Spoke’n Word Events, and National Trails Day
- Adopt A Trail program
- W&OD Trail Patrol
Donations to the W&OD
If you would like to make a donation directly to the W&OD Railroad Regional Park, please send a check to:
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
21293 Smith Switch Road
Ashburn VA 20147
If you donate electronically with the button at the NOVA Parks website, 50% of your donation will go directly to the W&OD. The rest will go to NOVA Parks to support land preservation and park development throughout the NOVA Parks system. If you send or drop off the donation at Smiths Switch, 100% of your donation will go to the W&OD Trail.
Join and/or contribute to the FoWOD
Adopt A Trail
The W&OD Adopt A Trail program is a way that local residents and businesses can significantly contribute to the maintenance of the park and enjoy a day outdoors. Adopters pledge to clean up the trash on a .5 mile segment of the park at least four times per year (or as needed). Their important efforts are recognized through signage. Currently (10/2023), all segments are adopted. To be added to the waitlist, please send an email to wod@nvrpa.org.
Events on the Trail
The W&OD is very popular. To minimize conflicts and ensure that all users have an equal opportunity to enjoy the use of the trail, any event on the trail that involves 25 people or more must have a permit. This includes any event – athletic, clean-ups, or socials.
To apply for a permit, please go to wod@nvrpa.org.
Social Media
Friends of W&OD – Facebook Group
NOVA Parks – W&OD Facebook Group