Purple Line NOW Announces Reception, Tribute to Harry Sanders

Following is a press release from Purple Line NOW.

Purple Line NOW! will celebrate the strides made in 2009 to move the Purple Line forward and pay tribute to its former leader, Harry Sanders, who passed away on March 10th at a reception in Silver Spring on Monday, March 22nd. In addition, officials will gear up for this year's push for federal funding of the transit line. Attached is a press release for the event. Text of the release follows below my signature. Please contact me with any questions.

Christine Scott
Executive Director
Purple Line NOW!
865.300.7959

Purple Line NOW! to Celebrate 2009’s Successes and Pay Tribute to its Leader, Harry Sanders, on Monday, March 22nd

Elected Officials and Community leaders to gather to pay tribute to longtime Purple Line activist, Harry Sanders

SILVER SPRING, MD., March 16th, 2010 – Purple Line NOW! will celebrate the strides made in 2009 to move the Purple Line forward and pay tribute to its former leader, Harry Sanders, who passed away on March 10th at a reception in Silver Spring on Monday, March 22nd. In addition, officials will gear up for this year's push for federal funding of the transit line.

“We will all miss Harry's energy and dedication. The best way his admirers can commemorate his life is to carry his spirit in our hearts as we move forward, respectfully and in a principled manner, working for environmental justice and a quality light rail Purple Line and Capital Crescent Trail,” said Webb Smedley, immediate past Chairman of Purple Line NOW!

The celebration will begin at 6pm at the new Performing Arts Center on Montgomery College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus. Hundreds of Harry Sanders’ friends from the civic, environmental and business communities are expected to come and pay tribute to his twenty-five years of advocacy for the Purple Line. Individuals who have not yet bought a ticket are encouraged to do so at the organization’s website if they plan to attend at http://www.purplelinenow.com.

The Purple Line has near unanimous support among state, county and local officials because it will revitalize neighborhoods along the rail line, create thousands of new jobs, reduce carbon emissions and traffic on congested roads and complete the Capital Crescent Trail. The Purple Line has been a top priority for local Chambers of Commerce because of its economic development potential as well as its ability to connect Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

“The Purple Line is vital to our region’s continued economic success. It will help to connect people to key job centers and take pressure off of our already congested roadways. And, it will be an effective, suburban transit link for riders between the existing Metro lines, which are focused primarily on getting employees to and from the District,” said Gigi Godwin, president of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.

Purple Line NOW!, a non-profit organization formed in 2002, advocates for the Purple Line on behalf of citizen, business, environmental, civic, minority and labor organizations. Purple Line NOW!’s mission is to expand the mobility choices for the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. The organization has been instrumental moving the project forward by pressuring elected officials and defending the project against detractors. More than 100 organizations have gone on record in support of the Purple Line through Purple Line NOW!

The Purple Line will be a 16-mile light rail line in suburban Maryland parallel to the Capital Beltway and connect Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Lyttonsville, Downtown Silver Spring, Long Branch, Takoma/Langley Crossroads, the University of Maryland at College Park, M Square Research Park, Riverdale Park and New Carrollton, Maryland. The Purple Line will tie together major Maryland suburban centers in Maryland’s two most populous counties, Montgomery and Prince George’s. The Purple Line is anticipated to carry over 60,000 riders each day by 2030 and will cut the travel time for thousands of area commuters.

For more information about Purple Line NOW!, please visit our website at http://www.purplelinenow.com

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