THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9510310138
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Coastal Journal
SOURCE: Mary Reid Barrow
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
If you were pleased to see the young dogwood trees recently planted in the old toll plaza area and at the Laskin Road interchange on Route 44, you have 8-year-old Chelsea Rutherford to thank.
Chelsea wrote to Gov. George Allen in August to suggest that the state flower (the dogwood) be planted to dress up the barren areas where toll signs and booths used to be.
Chelsea never thought she would get an answer but she did. In September, she received a letter from the governor saying he would ask the ``tree experts'' to find areas along the toll road where dogwoods could be planted.
``It's great to see young people like yourself get involved to improve their community and the environment,'' the governor wrote.
``I like your idea about planting dogwoods so much that I think we should give it a try!'' he added.
Chelsea was thrilled to get a letter from the governor. ``She had the biggest beaming grin on her face,'' said Chelsea's mom, Laine Rutherford.
And last week Chelsea received still another letter, this one from John T. McCambridge Jr., district environmental manager in Suffolk with the state Department of Transportation.
McCambridge notified Chelsea that dogwood trees were planted on Oct. 20 at both the plaza and the interchange areas. He enclosed three photos of one little tree that was planted in the plaza area.
``Thank you for your wonderful idea and I hope you enjoy watching these trees grow and bloom,'' McCambridge wrote.
Chelsea lives at the North End with her mom and dad, Palmer Rutherford III, and her 4-year-old sister, Raven. She is in the third grade at Linkhorn Park Elementary School, but she knows the old toll road well and will keep a watchful eye on the new trees.
She is on the expressway two days a week with her mother to go to tap, ballet and jazz classes. The family also travels to Norfolk for church on Sundays.
``I saw how it didn't look very good after they took the signs down. I said this looks really bad,'' Chelsea related, still beaming. ``I thought it would be better to put a tree there, not only for beauty but for the environment.''
Her mother thought her idea was so well thought out that she suggested Chelsea write to the governor. Until then, Chelsea had written letters to friends and cousins, but never to an official.
Just in case any of you wonder how to go about getting things done within the government, here's a copy of Chelsea's handwritten letter.
Dear Governor Allen,
My name is Chelsea Rutherford and I am 7 1/2 yrs. old. I have a fabulous idea. I ride on the Virginia Beach toll road every day and I see you have taken the toll signs down. My idea was that maybe we could plant the state flower where the toll signs were. Not just for beauty, but to help the environment too. I hope you like my idea.
Sincerely yours,
Chelsea
``I think I'm gonna hang it in my room,'' Chelsea said, ``for a long, long time.''
P.S. UNCOMMON CARE FOR COMMON ANIMALS is the theme of The International Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference Thursday through Sunday at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center. Workshops range from ``Hummingbird Rehab Techniques'' to ``Highly Successful Fund-raising.'' Tracy Hassler of Wildlife Response, 422-5714, is the local coordinator.
A CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIRE will be from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Francis Land House. Dulcimer music will enhance your shopping. A lunch of Brunswick stew and ham biscuits will be available. Admission is $2 with children under 12, free.
A WATERFOWL WALK at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge will take place following a discussion on waterfowl management techniques at 2 p.m. Saturday at the refuge. To find out more, call 721-2412. MEMO: What unusual nature have you seen this week? And what do you know about
Tidewater traditions and lore? Call me on INFOLINE, 640-5555. Enter
category 2290. Or, send a computer message to my Internet address:
mbarrow(AT)infi.net.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY REID BARROW
In his return letter to 8-year-old Chelsea Rutherford, Gov. George
Allen wrote, ``It's great to see young people like yourself get
involved to improve their community and the environment.''
by CNB