Eye-Opening Wayfinders Youth Volunteer Event Held At Lenoir Preserve

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — The future looks a little greener thanks to the hard work and curiosity of a few industrious kids in our community.

Westchester Parks Foundation (WPF) and Wayfinders on the Hudson teamed up for a youth volunteer event at Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers on May 22. The event was the culmination of a spring pilot program with Lenoir Preserve to connect young people with nature at the 40-acre preserve made up of woodlands and field habitats.

The program included 22 participants, ages 10-13, from Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Irvington, Hastings, Yonkers and Tuckahoe, who teamed up with WPF volunteer staff for native planting. The participants learned about invasive plant management, along with the threats invasive species can create in green spaces. They also created useful and beautiful items at workstations that they found during the day-long project.

“Educating young people about native plants is key to keeping our parks clean and green for future generations. We are thrilled to join forces with Wayfinders on the Hudson and look forward to creating more opportunities for youth to help make a difference in protecting our parks,” said Seth Mandelbaum, Chair of Westchester Parks Foundation.

Gwen Merkin, Co-Founder of Wayfinders on the Hudson, remarked that, “Place-based education is a huge part of the Wayfinders experience. Kids who connect with nature locally as youth are likely to continue exploring nature connection over a lifetime. Wayfinders is grateful for this partnership with Westchester Parks Foundation that is helping us translate ideas we’ve been exploring with the youth into action.”

As part of their commitment to looking after the environment at Lenoir Preserve, Wayfinders on the Hudson is also raising funds to purchase additional native plants for Lenoir Preserve, to honor someone or something important in the youths' lives. To donate to the cause, visit WPF and use the dedication message "WAYFINDERS22."

Wayfinders creates a fun and safe space for youth ages 10-13 to build awareness of interconnectedness through nature guided experiences and social & emotional mentoring. The program helps youth explore their passions, learn leadership development and community building skills, and culminates in a coming-of-age rite of passage. Wayfinders on the Hudson is sponsored by the Shames JCC. For more information, visit their website.

About Westchester Parks Foundation

Westchester Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, philanthropic organization which provides private support to preserve the County’s Park system and improve the quality of life in our communities. Westchester Parks Foundation’s mission is to engage the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. For more information, visit their website.