The Fairfax County Park Authority’s 2016 Discovery Trail Map-Presidential Election has been honored by the Virginia Recreation and Parks Society (VRPS). The special election-year version of the popular map program won a VRPS award for Best Promotional Effort-Traditional in a population area greater than 100,000. Officials from the Park Authority accepted the award from VRPS at the organization’s annual meeting in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Discovery Trail maps are targeted at children and families and are designed to increase visitation to and awareness of the county’s nature centers, historic sites and lakefront parks. Since 2016 was a presidential election year, last year’s Discovery Trail Map had a presidential theme. Educational messages on the map connected former U.S. Presidents or some aspect of their administration to each of the 12 featured Park Authority sites. Stickers could be collected at each of the 12 sites to place on the maps, and once children collected eight different stickers, they could receive a prize pack that included tickets to such park amusements as mini golf, pools, and boat, train and carousel rides.

F.C. Hits the Big Time with Paragon & Whole Foods
The combination of events were the February opening of the massive new flagship Whole Foods supermarket at Broad and Washington