RICHMOND, Va. (April 1, 2011) —The Occoneechee State Park announced that local cancer survivors and caregivers will celebrate life, survivorship and new beginnings with the ultimate symbols of health – trees. The park will plant and dedicate two trees: the Red Oak as a symbol of strength and vitality, and a Red Bud as a symbol of new beginnings. The event is also a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Virginia State Parks. This special event will take place on April 3 beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Occoneechee Visitors Center. We would like to invite all survivors and caretakers to join us as we celebrate the beauty of life and spring.
Nobody can deny the healing effects of nature. We are pleased to honor our local survivors and their caregivers. The new trees will continue to provide their healing effects to everyone that visits our park.
The Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation, The Virginia Department of Forestry and the American Cancer Society collaborated on a year-long campaign to honor cancer survivors, to promote healthy lifestyles and to fight obesity.
“The American Cancer Society’s goal is to save lives and create a world with more birthdays. Our Virginia State Parks provide many great programs and a wonderful venue for everyone to lead a healthy, active lifestyle which will ultimately help to avoid cancer along with other diseases,” said Jennifer Hughes, Community Manager.
Following the dedication ceremony, attendees are invited to spend the day at the park and enjoy all the aspects the park has to offer.
For more information, please contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org. Live updates of the event will be available by following ACS_Virginia on Twitter. Attendees are invited to use their own social networks to spread the word about this celebration.
The dedication is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation and the Virginia Department of Forestry.
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.5 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
Occoneechee State Park, named for Native Americans who lived in the area for hundred of years, Occoneechee is on the John H. Kerr Reservoir, better known as Buggs Island Lake, and is popular with anglers and boaters. Facilities include cabins, campsites, equestrian camping, picnic shelters, an amphitheater, a playground, boat ramps, and a private concession offering fishing and pontoon boat rentals as well as snacks. The park also has 15-mile round trip (seven-mile linear) multipurpose trail for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The visitor center and museum introduce visitors to Native American culture and the indigenous Occoneechee people. Visit www.virginiastateparks.gov or call 1-800-933-PARK ( 7275)
# # #