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Spotlight On Arlington Walkers

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• Tim Miner
• Elenor Hodges
• Patricia Pocasangre

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Spotlight on Arlington Walker Patricia Pocasangre

A Footstep Away from the Arlington County Board

An avid walker and keen observer of life in world capitals from Arlington/Washington, D.C. and Brasilia, Brazil to Guatemala City, Guatemala and Lima, Peru, Patricia Pocasangre joined the Arlington County Board staff in April 2007.

Patricia has spent the last eight months getting her feet wet as Aide to Arlington County Board Vice-Chair J. Walter Tejada. Mr. Tejada recently won re-election and is expected to become Chairman of the Arlington County Board on January 1, 2008.

A friendly fixture in the County Board office, Patricia loves having the opportunity to help people, particularly newcomers and speakers of English as a second language, and knowing where to refer them for answers.

On Foot Around Town

Patricia lives in Clarendon and walks to work at Courthouse Plaza every day. The trip takes her about 15 minutes. Her husband works in Rosslyn and usually bikes. They have one car between the two of them but rarely use it.

After a tough week handling innumerable requests, scheduling appointments, answering questions, and connecting constituents with services, Patricia uses the weekend to walk for pleasure. She and her husband routinely walk two to three hours every Saturday or Sunday, sometimes both. Their favorite route takes them to Fort C.F. Smith, where they often see deer along with incredible views of Washington.

They usually head out around 10 a.m., sometimes staying on trails in Arlington and sometimes crossing the Memorial Bridge into Washington, but they always end up at one of Arlington's many restaurants just in time for lunch!

Of course because they arrive on foot, they walk their meal off on the way home! Patricia notes that "walking is about the only form of exercise that can be done on a full stomach!"

Patricia favors walking for business and pleasure because getting around on foot allows a different view of her surroundings than she would have from a car or even bicycle (although she does bike in the summer months). "You can enjoy and observe everything around you from a different level when you're walking," she says.

Globetrotter

Patricia has been walking regularly for about nine years now, but not always in Arlington. Born in Lima and raised in Guatemala City, Patricia lived in Ashburn, McLean, and Arlington, Virginia until her husband was transferred to Brazil in 1988.  They bought a home there and return to visit at least once a year. According to Patricia, "traveling to Brazil makes Guatemala seem like it's next door!"

When it came time for Patricia and her husband to return to the United States, they decided their number one priority would be to live within walking distanceof work. She credits Arlington County's pedestrian-friendly planning, concentrated business/commercial development, orientation toward the Metro, and inter-connecting system of trails with helping to make their decision to settle in Arlington.

Getting Around on Foot

As a veteran pedestrian commuter, Patricia is eager to inspire others to get around on foot whenever possible. She hopes that programs like WALKArlington and FitArlington, the initiative started by Mr. Tejada in 2007, will encourage people to incorporate walking into their daily routines. 

Patricia also wants Arlingtonians to realize that even if they take the bus or Metro to work, walking is still part of their commute. She believes that Arlington's accessible range of transit options helps Arlington workers and residents develop a liking for walking that will eventually become a habit!

Looking Ahead to 2008

Although Mr. Tejada's goals and priorities for his year as Chairman will not be revealed until the first County Board meeting of the new year on January 1, 2008, Patricia knows that FitArlington will be a part of his plan. (WALKArlington is proud to be part of the FitArlington family and eager to do more in 2008!)

One goal that Patricia is at liberty to discuss is her own goal for 2008 -- "to learn as much as possible!"  There is no doubt that she will fulfill that goal, one step at a time and from the ground up!