For information contact: Elenor Hodges 703-228-6427

Arlington, Va., May 17, 2000 -- A series that provides residents with an opportunity for outdoor activities, education, meeting neighbors, and dinner returns next week to one of Arlington's most popular local parks.

"Wednesday Night in the Park" is a joint project of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority's Potomac Overlook Regional Park and Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment. The series, now in its fourth year, will run June 7 through August 30, 2000. Adults are invited for informal presentations, conversation, park tours, and a light supper. Programs run between 6 pm and 9 pm on alternate Wednesdays throughout the summer and are free of charge (although a donation of $4 per person for dinner is suggested). Reservations are required and can be obtained by calling Potomac Overlook Regional Park at (703) 528-5406

Subjects planned for this summer include wildlife (native and exotic), Native American heritage of northern Virginia, and green technologies for the 21st century. The first three presentations will include:

• "Watershed protection and management in Arlington" on June 7, 2000
• "Backyard Wildlife Habitat" on June 21, 2000
• "Native Americans of Arlington" on July 5, 2000.

Elenor Hodges, in her first year as Executive Director of Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, said, "I've enjoyed this program since before I joined ACE. It is a fun, low-key way to meet your neighbors and learn about your community. By providing dinner, we make it easy for people to come by straight from work to enjoy the long summer evenings -- and to learn how every person can help or harm the environment around us and all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay."

Potomac Overlook Park is a division of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment is a non-profit educational and service organization serving the residents of Arlington and funded primarily by the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services. For more information about "Wednesday Night in the Park," to register, or to obtain directions, please call Potomac Overlook Regional Park at (703) 528-5406.