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Community Corner

The Tortoise and The Hare Walkathon

Greenburgh Nature Center's Tortoise & the Hare Walkathon is being held as a fund raiser for GNC's upcoming Nature’s Discovery Zone Playground. Please read the press release below for further details.

Press release from Greenburgh Nature Center:

The Nature Center is excited to announce the Nature’s Discovery Zone Playground as the next element of its Core Master Plan.  The playground will complement the barnyard built last year.  The playground, with nature-themed recreational equipment and activity areas, is designed to engage children ages 2-12 in the enjoyable discovery of nature through play and to help educate them about wildlife environments.  It will include a variety of interactive features intended to mimic the natural environment such as a Spider Web to climb, an Eagle’s Nest to sit in and a Honeycomb to explore.

According to GNC Executive Director Courtney White, “There is a huge need for a playground in this community and the value of free play outdoors can be easily overlooked.”  Research indicates that children are simply not playing like they used to with leisure and recreation time dominated by television, computers, electronic games and organized sports participation. While each of these has value in today’s culture, the balance of time outside in fresh air and free play is sadly missing.

To date, the Nature Center has successfully raised over $180,000 for all of the Core Master Plan projects, including those completed, through fundraisers, private donations and a major contribution from the Town of Greenburgh. The Nature Center is holding the Tortoise and the Hare Walkathon on June 12 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. to raise funds for the $225,000 Nature Discovery Zone Playground. The Town of Greenburgh signed on as a co-sponsor with a generous $100,000 non-taxpayer contribution from parkland funds, as well as in-kind services. An additional $95,000 must be raised in order to break ground in 2012.

The Nature Center already has great support from local businesses such as California Pizza Kitchen, Shoprite in Scarsdale and Whole Foods Market in White Plain for the Core Master Plan’s playground project. California Pizza Kitchen has set aside three days (June 12, June 13, and June 14) where 20% of the bill will be donated to the playground project from anyone who dines using a special Greenburgh Nature Center flyer that will be distributed by the GNC. Other sponsorship opportunities are still available.

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Tortoise and the Hare Walkathon: Walk the Nature Center trails on June 12 to raise funds to build the Nature’s Discovery Zone Playground. Participation fee: $10 per person ages 13 and over; $5 per child ages 12 and under. Register at http://www.firstgiving.com/greenburghnaturecenter, make your own team and get sponsors! The Tortoise & the Hare Walkathon will take place on the Nature Center's woodland trails. A short-loop trail is available for younger children, and a longer trail is geared for older children and adults. Make it fun and memorable--bunny ears, tortoise shells and super hero costumes welcome but not required.

Share your passion for the Nature Center’s mission, raise awareness and engage your friends and family by creating a TEAM to raise money for the nature playground. Encourage others (individuals and businesses) to create a TEAM to raise money or to donate to your team. For large gifts, there will be naming opportunities.

The Nature Playground is one of several major capital projects from our Core Master Plan. With your help, we successfully completed Phase I, the Barnyard, in 2010. We look forward to sharing more about our next project, the Sustainable Schoolhouse, in the near future.

Please support the Nature’s Discovery Zone, a $225,000 capital project, by making a tax-deductible gift or by participating in the Nature Center’s walkathon.

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