Commitment to Community Through Virginia Adopt-a-Highway Program

GREAT FALLS, Va. — The leadership team at The Residence at Colvin Run built on its commitment to community service through Virginia’s Adopt-a-Highway program, returning to clean the senior living community’s adopted two-mile stretch of Virginia State Route 7.

Colvin Run administrators recently gathered along the highway commonly referred to as Leesburg Pike for their annual cleanup. They collected litter and debris to help improve the appearance and safety of one of Great Falls’ most heavily traveled roadways.

“When a team comes together to clean the roads that connect us, they do more than pick up litter,” said Seth Wirekoh, Executive Operations Officer at Colvin Run. “They demonstrate leadership, civic pride and a commitment to leaving every place better than they found it.”

The annual cleanup builds on an initiative that began in May 2025, when The Residence at Colvin Run officially adopted a section of State Route 7 through the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) program.

During the inaugural cleanup, members of the senior living community’s administrative team worked together to remove litter and debris from the roadside, marking the beginning of a long-term commitment to maintaining the adopted highway segment.

“Making Great Falls sparkle, one piece of trash at a time!” Community Relations Director Trachell Duncan noted in a community Facebook post following the first cleanup more than a year ago. “Huge thanks to the directors of The Residence at Colvin Run for their hard work on Route 7. Let’s all do our part to keep our community beautiful!”

That sentiment took hold throughout the senior living community. What began as a daylong volunteer effort has grown into a lasting commitment to environmental stewardship.

Team members described the cleanup experience as both rewarding and meaningful, providing an opportunity to make a visible, hands-on contribution to the broader community they serve.

“The effort reflects Colvin Run’s belief that being a good neighbor goes beyond providing exceptional care,” Wirekoh said. “It also means taking pride in and giving back to the place they call home.”

Wirekoh said the cleanup initiative reflects Colvin Run’s broader commitment to community engagement while also strengthening relationships among staff members. He noted that team members see the event as an opportunity to work together outside the workplace and contribute to making the surrounding area cleaner and more welcoming.

“Our highway cleanup is more than picking up litter,” Wirekoh said. “For us, it’s about building stronger teams, demonstrating civic responsibility and showing pride in the community we serve. By working together, we create a cleaner, safer environment while reinforcing the values of teamwork, compassion and service that define who we are. Every bag of trash collected is a reminder that small acts, when done together, can make a lasting impact.”

Virginia’s Adopt-a-Highway program has engaged more than 20,000 volunteers since its launch in the 1980s. The program helps remove litter from state-maintained roadways, enhancing the travel experience for residents and visitors, while reducing the amount of trash that reaches local waterways.

Organizations and volunteer groups participating in the program adopt a designated two-mile stretch of VDOT-maintained roadway for a three-year period and commit to conducting at least two litter cleanups each calendar year. VDOT supports participating groups by providing safety training, safety equipment, trash bags, roadside recognition signs displaying the group’s name, and litter collection services for bagged debris.

Through its continued participation in the Adopt-a-Highway program, The Residence at Colvin Run demonstrates that community involvement, environmental management and civic responsibility remain central to its mission of serving both residents and the greater Great Falls community.

For more information, contact Trachell Duncan, Community Relations Director, The Residence at Colvin Run, at [email protected] or call 703.223.5226.