On Ash Wednesday, February 21, 2007, fifteen plus activists visited Congressman Virgil Goode's office in Charlottesville opposing the continued funding of the war with Iraq.

According to Shelly Stern, they submitted a pledge for Virgil Goode to sign stating that he would vote against the $93 billion request from George W. Bush to go towards Iraq. (This is in addition to the $142 billion for the next fiscal year to go to Iraq.) She says, "Virgil Goode did not reply to our request. He had stated that on this recess that he would not have time for Charlottesville. We are making time for him ... in fact."

Around 4:30 p.m. Susan Frankel-Streit, Shelly Stern and Jeff Winder rebuffed a police officer's request to vacate Goode's office [after it was closing] and were arrested for trespassing. "The vast majority of Goode's constituents are opposed to continued funding for this war and want the troops home now. He can no longer count on us sitting quietly by while he does nothing to stop it," said Jeff Winder.

The court date is for Thursday, March 1st at 10 a.m. in the Charlottesville General Circuit Court. A rally will be held outside the court at 9:30 a.m. on 606 Market Street the same morning.

In the meantime, some members of the group say they will return the next several Wednesdays to continue our vigil and continue to express our dissent.

Among the group of individuals offering support for the cause but not choosing to get arrested was Chip Tucker - a part of the 'Virgil Goode Ten' previously arrested for trespassing in Virgil Goode's office to protest his position on the war with Iraq in 2003.

The Occupation Project has been initiated by Voices for Creative Non-Violence (formerly Voices in the Wilderness. Citizens around the U.S. are demanding no more funding for Iraq and occupying the offices of Congressional representatives if necessary.