FOC Newsletter, President's Letter, Spring 2025
Greetings Friends!
How quickly everything changes! We move the hands of the clock ahead and magically spring begins! Daffodils are popping up from the ground all around the preserve. My beloved Shunk cabbages are peeking out from the soil and they make me smile. And I heard peepers last week while walking on the Red Trail! What strange yet beautiful gifts of nature! With the coming of warmer weather, I will be getting outside to hike the preserve more. I can't think of a better way to improve my mental and physical wellness. I hope to see you out on the trails as well! Get Offline and Get Out There!
Friends of Connetquot is very excited and honored to share our announcement about receiving TWO GRANTS!
NYS Parks & Trails just awarded us the funds needed to tell the story of Connetquot's Riverbank Community. We hope to discover more about the families who lived along the river as early as 1690. With this grant, we will investigate our history and add interpretive signs, lectures and booklets about our discoveries of the Connetquot Community.
As I mentioned in our last newsletter, we are working to make accessibility improvements around the preserve. We are delighted to announce that we have secured the $200,000 needed for the Phase IA Construction of the Red Trail thanks to a generous non-matching grant from the John C. Dunphy Foundation! Drawings are complete and a few more steps are needed before we can start the bid process. We plan to build a raised walkway along the Eastern side of the hatchery and pond. This phase is the 'heavy lift.' The Greenbelt Trail Conference has pledged $5,000 to improve the section between the north bridges. We wish to thank our dear Friends of the Greenbelt! Friends of Connetquot will work to fund and construct what's needed for the final section of the loop — from the bridge, past the fishing platforms and out to the parking lot. A test section of trail was constructed last year with the help of Goldman Sachs that leads to the pollinator garden. I hope other companies will see the value in this project and contribute towards the final phase. Contact us if you can provide engineers, funds, materials or work teams. It's a great cause and a great team building opportunity for the community.
There are so many health benefits to being outdoors, surrounded by the beauty of the Preserve. Let's get EVERYONE outside!
See you out there,
Janetmarie
Past President's Letters:
Winter 2025
Fall 2024
Summer 2024
Winter 2024
Fall 2023
Summer 2023
Spring 2023
Winter 2023
Fall 2022
Summer 2022
Spring 2022
Winter 2021
Fall 2021
Summer 2021
Spring 2021
Winter 2020
Fall 2020