Dominion, Trout Unlimited Team with Forest Service to Construct Universally Accessible Fishing Pier and Trail Bridges at Sherando Lake

April 21, 2004

WAYNESBORO, Va. - Fishing Sherando Lake will be easier this year for disabled persons thanks to the efforts of volunteers from Dominion and Trout Unlimited.

Dominion, one of the nation’s largest energy companies, and Trout Unlimited, a leading environmental conservation group, formed a partnership to help the U.S. Forest Service complete a pier that will allow those with disabilities to fish safely the waters of Sherando Lake Recreation Area. Volunteers also constructed two new trail bridges at creek crossings on the hiking trail around the recreation area’s upper reservoir.

“We have no shortage of ideas on how to improve the Sherando Lake facilities for the thousands of visitors who come each year,” said Glenn Szarzynski of the U.S. Forest Service. “What we typically lack is the people-power needed to make those ideas a reality. The volunteers from Dominion and Trout Unlimited helped bring these two ideas to realization.”

The volunteers completed the bridges, which will make the hike around the upper reservoir easier for the scores of anglers. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries stocks the reservoir with trout. The universally accessible fishing pier will be open once the Forest Service has raised the lake level, which was lowered for construction.

The Sherando Lake projects are part of Dominion’s annual volunteer efforts to improve the environment or outdoor recreational/educational facilities.

About 25 volunteers from Dominion and Trout Unlimited were working all day Wednesday with Forest Service employees to complete the bridges and pier. In addition, as it does with all of its environmental day projects, Dominion provided $2,500 for building materials and other supplies.

“A lot of people view Trout Unlimited as a group strictly related to fly fishing for trout and cold-water fisheries conservation,” said Jim Donovan, president of the Shenandoah Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Waynesboro. “While that may be our focus, we believe that any project that opens up fishing opportunities for the people with disabilities or introduces youngsters to the sport will pay dividends down the road. We are developing a new legion of anglers in tune with the need to protect and preserve our natural resources.”

The volunteer project at Sherando Lake coincides with the City of Waynesboro’s first “River Week,” which will be an annual event highlighting Waynesboro as the fly fishing capital of Virginia.

Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy, with a diversified and integrated energy portfolio that includes 24,000 megawatts of generation and 6.1 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves. Dominion also serves 5 million retail energy customers in nine states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.

Trout Unlimited is a national organization with more than 500 chapters. Its mission is to conserve, protect and restore North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds. For more information on TU’s mission and other projects visit their Web site at www.tu.org.

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CONTACTS: Dan Genest , 804-771-6115 or 804-920-4622
Jim Donovan, Trout Unlimited, 540-943-7774
Glenn Szarzynski, 540-291-2189