Tree Dedication Sept 26th!

The Garden City Bird Sanctuary will be holding a dedication ceremony for recently donated trees and shrubs on 3 PM Saturday, September 26^th. Over the last year, many people and groups have donated trees and shrubs in memory or honor of loved ones, or donated the plants as a simple compliment to support the continued development of the community nature preserve.

Funds for American Elm trees, decimated across the country by the Dutch Elm disease a half century ago, were donated by Francis McDonough as new disease resistant are now available. A tree was donated by the Garden City Western Property Owners Association in memory and honor of Bill Haynes – husband, father, and neighbor, who spent many years of volunteer service to the church and community. A yellow rose bush was donated in memory of the deceased members of the Garden City High School Class of 1979. A Tulip tree has been donated by the Bird Sanctuary in memory of Elizabeth A Taylor as a gesture of thanks to Robert Taylor and his family. Several other donations were made including those by the Merrick Garden Club, in memory of Alfred Dieterich, and in honor of David Goodwin, Curt Hoera, and more. A complete listing will be available on our web-site. Family, friends, and neighbors are invited to attend this informal service.

Rob Alvey, Bill Haynes, and John Watras at the Bird Sanctuary. A tree in Bill’s memory will be dedicated on September 26th. (Rain date Sept 27)

HALLOWEEN FEST & HAUNTED HIKE Saturday October 17^th

Once again, the phenomenal Halloween Fest and Haunted Hikes will be held at the Garden City Bird Sanctuary opposite 181 Tanners Pond Road Saturday September 17^th from 4 through 9PM. Prepare for a fun and spooky time for all ages. This will be the biggest and best attended Halloween event in the Village, with a limit of 400 attendees participating. Volunteers will be setting up the trails with hundreds of spider webs, ghosts, and goblins, and the guided “haunted Hikes” will start at sundown. Come early and participate in the fun crafts and games, bring home a decorated pumpkin and goody bag, and there are many prizes!!!! Tickets are $10 per person, with a $2 discount for all tickets purchased by October 1, so buy you tickets early!

The Garden City Bird Sanctuary's Halloween Fest and Haunted Hike Festival wants YOU!

Come on over for the fun.

Hot dogs, coffee, mini-burgers, and hot cocoa will be available for purchase. (There is no charge for children under 2 attending the event if accompanied by a parent. The rain date is Sunday October 18^th ! A ticket form is in this newsletter! Call 326-1720 for information or directions.

ADELPHI FRESHMEN COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM 2009

Adelphi University’s Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Della Hudson-Tomlin, lead a group of over forty incoming freshmen students on a three-day program of volunteer community service in the communities surrounding the Adelphi campus. The Freshman Community Action Program, (FCAP), celebrated its 4^th year with an August 26 work day with Rob Alvey at the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. This successful program was designed to help the incoming students form friendships, become familiar with the local area, and instill the value of community service. Several students have continued with the program and are now leaders for the group. The students come from diverse areas as Cuba, Florida, California, and many villages on Long Island.

President Rob Alvey, assisted by additional volunteers Ria Jones from York College, Laura Napoli, and Jimmy Carroll, a scout with Boy Scout Troop 80, coordinated the day of weeding, pruning, and debris removal at Garden City’s 9 acre community nature preserve. Laura, currently a Director of the Bird Sanctuary, was originally introduced to the site as an Adelphi student, and she has now graduated and starts an Earth Science teaching position at a nearby high school. She was a member of Adelphi’s Environmental Action Coalition and has continued to volunteer at the site.

The Adelphi students had lunch in the picnic area and were given a guided tour and talk about how this sanctuary came to be. It was a warm, sunny day, and the students made a tremendous impact in freshening up portions of the sanctuary as it plans for autumn activities. Some of the weeds were over 10 feet tall, and vines had literally smothered two trees to death. Some students painted nest boxes and a trellis, others cleared the trail, and others volunteered to help pick the fresh vegetables being grown at the Community Garden for the Interfaith Nutrition Network.

By the end of the day, there were over a dozen bundles of pruned branches and limbs by the curb, accompanied by over 80 large garbage bags of weeds, vines, and litter – the incessant debris that flows into the basins from the streets whenever there are heavy rains. The 2009 rains have saved the Bird Sanctuary nearly $3,000 in watering bills, but it was lost when the tractormower broke down and needed replacement – at an estimated cost of $2,500. Still, Alvey was cheerful and got many of the students inspired to return to the Bird Sanctuary to help set up for the October 17^th Halloween Fest and Haunted Hike. He asked the group to choose two FCAP students as designated Student Directors for the 2009/2010 school year.

On August 27 there was a community breakfast at Adelphi for the students, families and guests. A slide show was shown of the activities, including a day at the Holly Patterson Rehabilitation Center, Mommas House, street work for the Village of Hempstead, and the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. Leaders Laura Grodin and Daphney Pierre discussed the impact the FCAP program has had on their lives, while freshman students Julie Bergeron and Stephen Zuccaro talk about their positive experiences, and the bonding that developed among the volunteers. Diana O’Neal, Director of the LI Volunteer Center, gave an encouraging talk about volunteer service, and presented special Presidential pins and certificates to the volunteers on behalf of President Obama.

GCBS UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Saturday, September 19 10AM to ? –

Tree planting & spruce-up

Spend a few hours of volunteer service helping plant and spruce up the memorial trees!

Saturday, September 26 3-5PM

Dedication of trees and shrubs at the Bird Sanctuary

October 3, 2009 – Wildlife Photography Exhibit

Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island during the month at the Garden City Public Library gallery. Enjoy the best of the best! 60 7^th Street, Garden City. The display will extend for the month, but join us, 2-5PM for a reception and films!

October 8, 2009 Garden City Library

“A Naturalist Views the Galapagos Islands” Slide/lecture with Mickey Maxwell Cohen

Great photos and a talk on the wonderful variety of life on the Islands made famous by Charles Darwin.

Saturday October 17^th , 4:00 - 9:00 pm

HALLOWEEN FEST and HAUNTED HIKE

Third Annual afternoon of games, fun, and crafts followed by guided spooky haunted hikes through the Bird Sanctuary (Rain Date Oct 18^th)

Saturday October 24^th , 10:00 - 4:00 pm

“MAKE – A –DIFFERENCE DAY”

National day of volunteer community service. Spend a few hours and help improve the community nature preserve. Planting of wetlands meadow plants and bulbs is a scheduled activity.

Saturday October 24^th HOMECOMING!

Visit the Garden City Bird Sanctuary display!

January 9 2010 – WINTERFEST.

Don’t let the “holiday season” get you down. Candle-lighting and Winterfest tree decorating followed by hot chocolate.

June 2010 15^th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

The biggest celebration ever at the Bird Sanctuary!

15 years of progress. Plenty of food, music, raffles.

Thank you for your support!!!

It’s not just residents that support the nonprofit Garden City Bird Sanctuary, but a growing number of local businesses.

Mike Lutz with Lutz Landscaping donated the grand prize of a red maple tree for the Twilight Cocktail Party, and we thank Clancy & Clancy, Adelphi Delicatessen, Fiorano Tile Showrooms, Upper Crust Café, International Wine Gallery, Essential Printers, Calagaros Italian Restaurant, Paninoteca Italiana Restaurant, Garden City Bistro, and others for their support. Advertise with the Sump Thing Happening’s Newsletter! Business Card ads are $50 and help you reach over 1000 local families! Contact John Cronin at (516) 297-8171 or email us at:

gcbirdsanctuary@gmail.com to place an ad.

 

 

 

SUZIE ALVEY

WOMEN OF DISTINCTION

Congratulations to Suzie Alvey, one of the recipients of a 2009 Women of Distinction Award presented by NY State Assemblyman Tom McKevitt on August 22. If Suzie Alvey’s name sounds familiar, she has spent the last 25 years donating much of her time and artistic talent to not just the Garden City Bird Sanctuary, but also the Garden City School system, PTA, Garden City Library, GC Community Church, and other institutions and charities within the community. She is also a member of the village’s Garden City Beautification Committee. She frequently works behind the scenes, so an award such as this was a most pleasant recognition of her efforts. Congrats to all of the winners!