Community Corner

Lorton Community Action Center Adds Electronic Sign

Drivers along Route 1 will now know what to donate, and where the LCAC is located.

The Lorton Community Action Center can be hard to find - tucked behind the Lorton Library along Route 1. The non-profit recently unveiled a new electronic sign to educate the public about the needs of their food pantry, and where it's located. 

"For some folks they have no problem finding us, but for donors and volunteers and families who need services, it has been a challenge," said LCAC executive director Linda Patterson to Patch. "I'm just thrilled that we were able to use special capital improvement funds to make it all happen." 

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The new LCAC sign cost $10,000, and was made by Stewart Signs, the same company that made the electronic sign for South County High School. 

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently discussed loosening the county's electronic sign regulations, which stipulate that messages on the signs can not change more than twice every 24 hours. 

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But Patterson said that the messages will not rotate. "The message doesn't change. That can be very distracting for drivers," she said. "Our sign is considered a static sign. You can change the message two times in a day. The folks who see the sign will see it when they are trapped in rush hour traffic and it will stay lit for 24 hours a day."

The sign, which was installed two weeks ago, has already reaped rewards. "I had a woman last week, when we had that terrible rain, who said, 'I saw that you needed food, from the sign,' and she just handed me bags of food." 

The LCAC, which provides food, clothing and financial assistance to Lorton families, is in "desperate" need of rice and breakfast cereal.  


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