Rain Garden Dedicated in Memory of Local Environmentalist Sally Ornsby

More than 50 people joined Fairfax County officials and other guests at the Fred Packard Center in Annandale on Saturday to dedicate a rain garden to late environmentalist Sally Ormsby. 

The rain garden was inspired by Ormsby’s community activism. Those in attendance shared memories of Ormsby and her commitment to the environment were shared before a ribbon was cut marking the official completion of the rain garden project.

The garden design and installation was made possible by a generous contribution from the Sally B. Ormsby Memorial Fund, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District and the Fairfax County Park Authority, in partnership with Merrifield Garden Center, and with assistance from the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and Earth Sangha, according to a press release issued by the Fairfax County Park Authority.

A rain garden is a shallow, constructed depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses to help slow down and filter storm water runoff. Rain gardens are strategically placed to receive runoff from hard surfaces such as a roof, a sidewalk and a driveway, according to the Park Authority. Rain gardens slow down the rush of water from these hard surfaces, holds the water for a short period of time, and allows it to naturally infiltrate into the ground. 

Pictured from left to right are Laura Grape, executive director, Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District; Kala Quintana, Fairfax County Park Authority Board member; Diane Hoffman, former executive director, NVSWCD; Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth; Alison Ormsby, Tyler Ormsby; Floyd Ransford; Jim Zook, former Fairfax County Planning Commissioner; Jean Packard, chairman, NVSWCD Board; Asad Rouhi, urban conservation engineer, NVSWCD; Frank Vajda, Mason District representative, PAB; Pat Cody, chairman, Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, and Robin Rentsch.