Shelter Island Reporter Letter to the Editor

Getting kids involved with nature
To the Editor:
There is no better way to preserve the natural world than to teach a child to love and protect it.

That idea was the impetus for Mashomack Preserve to begin our Environmental Education Program in 1989.

Thirty years later, the program is so popular that we saw the need to expand. This year, we’ve created more sessions, which means more children get to participate with more time outside exploring nature.

For the first time, we will be offering three sessions of environmental education instead of the traditional two. Beginning in June, the sessions will be: June 25-28, July 9-12, and August 13-16. The program will be offered four days through the week, with each day beginning at 9 a.m. and running until 2 p.m.

As part of our commitment to ensure that every child gets to explore nature at Mashomack, we will also have 30 scholarships available. Scholarship forms are available through the Mashomack office and Shelter Island School. The deadline for submission is April 16.

Over 2,000 children have participated in our program since its inception. We are excited to begin this new decade connecting more children to the natural world around them.

The 2018 registration date for all three sessions is Monday, April 23 at 9 a.m.

Please call (631) 749-4219 to register your child for a fun-filled, hands-on summer outdoor experience.
CINDY BELT
Education and Outreach Coordinator, Mashomack Preserve