Organizational Meeting Tonight; Search to Be Based at Forestry Building

UPDATED 5:30 PM THURSDAY

November 5, 2009 — A community meeting will be held tonight at 7 p.m. in the Cavalier Inn's Jefferson Room in Charlottesville to prepare for the volunteer community search for Morgan Harrington on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The meeting is organized by the Laura Recovery Center, which will explain procedures for the search.

Tonight's meeting is NOT intended for individuals who are interested in volunteering to participate in the searches. According to a staff member of the Laura Recovery Center, their hope is to inform key members of the community about how such a search works, as well as to find individuals interested in serving as registration officials.

Parking will be in the Emmet-Ivy Garage.

The central operating location for the three-day search will be the Virginia Department of Forestry Building, 900 Natural Resources Drive, in Fontaine Research Park. (Directions below.)

Interested individuals will be able to participate between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Registration is continuous, so volunteers are welcome to come out throughout the day.

To participate in the search, all volunteers must:

* be at least 18 years old;
* present a valid ID card;
* wear long pants and comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes;
* abide by the search confidentiality and safety rules.

Sunscreen, hats, gloves and walking sticks are also recommended.

PLEASE NOTE: Student volunteers must present a state-issued ID card. The Laura Recovery Center has confirmed that school-issued ID cards cannot be accepted.

For information, visit the FindMorgan Web site.

DIRECTIONS: The Forestry Building is located in the University of Virginia Fontaine Research Park off the US-29 Business North-University Hospital exit.

From the North

Washington, DC: Follow Route 29 South into Charlottesville (Albemarle County). Continue southbound on Route 29. Take the Lynchburg/Staunton 250 West exit. Take the third exit - there is signage for Fontaine Research Park. Turn left (crossing under Rt. 250). Turn right at the lights onto Ray C. Hunt Drive into the Fontaine Research Park.

From the South

Lynchburg: Route 29 North (toward Washington, DC). After passing under I-64, take the second exit - there is signage for Fontaine Research Park. Turn Right at the lights onto Ray C. Hunt Drive into the Fontaine Research Park.

From East/West

Richmond or Roanoke: From I-64 take exit 118B. Take the first exit - there is signage for Fontaine Research Park. Turn right at the lights onto Ray C. Hunt Drive into the Fontaine Research Park.

Once you have turned into the Research Park, take the first right at the top of the incline and follow the road, which turns into Natural Resources Drive, for a half mile until you reach the Forestry Building.

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