About the Friends
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.
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 Board
The governing body of the FoWOD consists of up to 18 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. Term of service is 2 years, starting July 1 the year they are elected. The current board will serve until June 30, 2026. The current members of the FoWOD Board (as of June 2025):
| Name, Title | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Kelley Westenhoff, President | Fairfax County |
| Judith Collins, Vice President | Arlington County |
| Terry Dominiak, Treasurer | Town of Herndon |
| John Harwell, Recording Secretary | Falls Church |
| Laura Robinson, Trail Patrol President, Member-at-Large | Fairfax County |
| Bill McCarthy, Web Curator | Loudoun County |
| Bob Evans, Member-at-Large | Fairfax County |
| Arash Hamidi, Member-at-Large | Arlington County |
| Pete Jones, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Kate Morganti, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Mariya Nadein, Member-at-Large | Vienna (Fairfax County) |
| Krishnan Saidapet, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Kevin Sullivan, Member-at-Large | Loudoun County |
| Steven Jordan Tomaszewski, Member-at-Large | Arlington County |
| Janet Townshend, Member-at-Large | Vienna (Fairfax County) |
| Steve Tryon, Member-at-Large | Vienna (Fairfax County) |
| Paul Vizza, Member-at-Large | Fairfax County |
| Ryan Corder, 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 Friends of the W&OD support 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
Alternatively, you can donate electronically here:
Adopt A Trail
The W&OD Adopt A Trail program is a way that local residents and organizations 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, as of January 2025, 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 the Trail Event Application.