Happy New Year and an Update on the Annual Fund...

The New Year is almost upon us and we at the Huyck Preserve are ever so excited. The New Year always brings new faces and sometimes new programs, and we just can't wait to get started on earnestly planning for next summer. Yes, that's right, even with snow gently falling, fireplaces roaring, and numerous mugs of cocoa consumed, we're thinking ahead to warmer months.

This year, there is an extra thread of joy running through the office as we race towards our Annual Fund goal. Some might say $30,000 is a lofty goal for such a small organization but small as we may be, we have BIG supporters and they have stepped up an answered our call to action- putting us within $3,000 of our goal!

Perhaps you've been following our progress over email and this blog and are well aware of all that we can do with your continued support. $5,000 meant staff to cover monitoring efforts, or partially staffing the Lake Myosotis beach program, or equipment for school field trip programs and the Winter Festival. $10,000 meant completely covering our school field trip program or the beach program, or funding the continued maintenance of our 12-miles of trials, or ten gudied hikes, two festivals, and Wildlife Family Hour. Did anyone start humming "The 12-days of Christmas" or notice a lot of "ORs?" For the Huyck Preserve, reaching our $30,000 Annual Fund Goal means we can fund conservation monitoring AND the school field trip program AND the maintenace of our trail system AND Wildlife Family Hour... you get my point. Your support is the difference between our small organization doing small things or our small organization doing BIG things.

Big support also means better defense and protection of the wilderness that makes up the Huyck Preserve. You may have donated because you love the beach program or because you are dedicated to providing science education to local schools but just like those who donate because they are committed to the protection of green spaces, we at the Huyck Preserve welcome you as an Environmental Defender. Recreational access encourages stewardship as clean water is not only necessary for swimming but for wildlife to thrive. Science-based outdoor education builds knowledge and understanding in our younger generations who will be at the forefront of environmental protection in the future. If you haven't yet donated to the Huyck Preserve, do so today and join our ranks of Environmental Defenders who have put the Huyck Preserve on track for a very successful New Year. 

To all who have already shown their support in a big way in 2016, thank you. We wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year and can't wait to see you all out on the trails in 2017! 

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