Community Partnership

• Hosted National Park Service Superintendents Summit, Manassas Battlefield Park
• Hosted African American Heritage Summit, with 75 participants and scholars from 5 states
• Hosted Educators Summit with educators and deans from 5 states
• Hosted Heritage Site Directors Summit with 60 participants from 4 states
• Hosted 6 JTHG Gallery shows with our Main Street Partners, in Leesburg, Culpeper, Berryville, Purcellville, Jefferson County, WV and Brunswick, MD
• Presented the JTHG to over 100 organizations and the Congressional representatives from each jurisdiction
• Briefed Governors Summit in July, including Mayor Williams
• Hosted The Main Street Directors meeting in Culpeper
• Established and staffed Mayors and Chairmen Leadership Committee
• Received over 76 Resolutions in Support from groups ranging from County Board of Supervisors, to members of Congress, to business associations, Main Street Communities and heritage preservation organizations

• Launched  college certificate course on the JTHG taught at the Northern Virginia Community College
• Created and hosted JTHG two-day course for Loudoun County Teachers-Certification.
• Created and underwrote two week The Extreme Journey Through Hallowed Ground Summer Camp with Albemarle Public Schools
• Organized and hosted the first day-long Education Summit with the Directors of Curriculum from the JTHG partnering Counties, the Deans of History from regional colleges and the Directors of Education from JTHG partnering heritage and park sites.
• Created and hosted school field trips for middle and high school students
• Created two standing committees made up of educators from our partnering organizations:  The Field Trip Committee and the Leadership Committee.  Staffed and held four meetings of the committees.
• Worked with High School AP History students to create JTHG  coloring and activity books for elementary students
• Worked with University of Virginia, James Madison University and Virginia Tech to develop JTHG partnerships

• Created monthly electronic newsletter
• Received nationwide coverage on the JTHG with PBS 30 minute Special “Great Drives” which aired in 60 markets nationwide and continues a 2006/2007 rotation.
• Selected by the Smart Growth Alliance (The Greater Washington Board of Trade, the Urban Land Institute, and others) as one of the "top [six] conservation priorities." 
• Organized April 10th Press conference at Oatlands with Congressman Wolf, and supporters from 4 states
• Featured in over 100 news articles, including: National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, and Albemarle magazines
• Featured in local and National Public Radio broadcasts and call in shows such as WETA’s “Intersection”.
• Created a media information kit available as a hard copy and online
• Established working relationships with key reporters along The Journey
• Met with key editorial boards of Journey newspapers resulting in numerous positive editorials including an endorsement by The Richmond Times Dispatch
• Wrote and placed an Op-Ed article supporting The National Heritage Area legislation received placement in several newspapers along The Journey including The Richmond Times Dispatch, The Loudoun Times Mirror, The Madison Eagle.

• Created and published The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Travel guide book and pre-sold 1,400 copies
• Hosted five Book Signing events with our partners, in Culpeper, Warrenton, Leesburg, Brunswick and Gettysburg
• Purchased rights to JTHG Photography from Ken Garrett and Nick Kotz, then printed limited editions for resale.
• Created and printed 100,000 JTHG Visitor Center tear-off maps which are now displayed in every partnering visitor center from Gettysburg to Monticello
• Beta Tested JTHG Front-line Hospitality Training Program Guidelines

National Scenic Byway Designation:

• Briefed Loudoun, Culpeper, Orange Counties along with the Towns of Leesburg, Warrenton, Culpeper, Orange, and Gordonsville each of which passed resolutions to request the CTB designate their portion of the JTHG as a State Scenic Byway
• Obtained Approval from the Commonwealth Transportation Board to be one of two areas in the state to have specialized Wayfinding System.

• Completed and independently funded the Feasibility Study
• Secured Sponsor in the House (Wolf) along with 20 co-sponsors and Sponsor in the Senate (Allen) along with 2 co-sponsors for the JTHG National Heritage Act legislation.
• April 25, 2006 Legislation Introduced
• VTC hosted a staff delegation tour to take House and Senate staffers on the Journey
•  Testified in both Senate and House hearings and held Congressional Briefings for the offices of each member with Jurisdiction
• Worked with National Park Service to adapt Feasibility Study to their recommendations and obtained their support for the National Heritage Area Legislation, at no cost to the taxpayer.
• Worked with congressional offices to re-drafted legislation with input from congressional and regional partners

• Created Advisory Board of historians and initiated research into “The Power of Place: Understanding the African American Experience along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground.
• Researched the impact (positive or negative) of National Heritage Areas on minorities; forged partnerships with regional experts.
• Researched National Register sites within the expanded JTHG Boundary to include Carroll and Washington counties in Maryland and parts of Spotsylvania County in Virginia.
• Conducted Second Annual Tri-State Public Opinion Poll resulting in research into citizen/voter support for JTHG initiatives.
• Conducted economic impact analysis of the Tourism Industry within the JTHG