Author: Editor

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Mercer County and the Park Commission recently hosted their second annual Bike Drive for the benefit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County Bike Exchange.

 

 

Donors came from all over the County and the surrounding area on April 9 to drop off bikes at the Wildlife Center and the Hunt House in Hopewell Township, Mercer County Park in West Windsor, and the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton.

 

The Bike Exchange is a volunteer-run organization whose primary objective is to raise funds to support after-school programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mercer County. The Bike Exchange repairs donated bicycles and sells them at modest prices at its Ewing location at Capitol Plaza, raising funds and promoting biking for transportation and pleasure among low- and moderate-income families.

 

“We were pleased to be able to work with the Bike Exchange again this year,” said County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

 

“Our County parks have miles of trails ideal for biking, so we are happy to help in the efforts to get low-cost bikes into the hands of our constituents.”

 

“We have Park Commission facilities throughout the County,” said Executive Director Aaron T. Watson. “So, it was very convenient for donors to drop off their bikes at locations close to their homes.”

 

According to Ira Saltiel, the Bike Exchange’s Volunteer Director, 50 people volunteer for the organization, and 30 help on a regular basis. With average sales of 2,000 bikes per year, the Bike Exchange has sold approximately 24,000 bikes since its inception in 2009, raising $1.4 million for the Boys & Girls Clubs.

 

The Bike Exchange also trains interested Boys & Girls Clubs members in bike repairs. Some of the Boys & Girls Clubs teens who are learning how to rehabilitate bikes volunteered their time at the bike drive by helping donors unload bikes from their vehicles, handing out informational materials, and loading donated bikes onto Bike Exchange trailers at the end of the day.

 

“Ten Bike Exchange volunteers and five interns from the Boys & Girls Club helped with the Mercer County bike drive this year,” said Saltiel, “which resulted in 200 bike donations. We expect more than $15,000 in sales from those bikes!”

 

D&R Greenway Land Trust is pleased to announce local bird and conservation advocates, Hannah Suthers and Sharyn Magee, as recipients of the land trust’s 2022 Donald B. Jones Conservation Award (s).

 

 

The award ceremony will take place at the annual Greenway Gala on Sunday, May 15, 2022, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Hillside Farm in Hopewell, NJ, which was recently gifted to D&R Greenway by Betty Wold Johnson’s family in her memory.

Members of the public are invited for a special opportunity to have a Bird’s Eye View of Hillside Farm, home of the future Betty Wold Johnson Preserve!  The new preserve is not yet open to the public, and this is a special opportunity to get a glimpse first-hand. Join D&R Greenway Land Trust at the Greenway Gala on May 15 to congratulate Sharyn and Hannah and to be one of the first to experience Hillside Farm.  High on a hill with sweeping views across the Hopewell Valley, the land holds great ecological value for birds and wildlife and is of historic significance. This 800-acre property will not open to the public until next year after a thoughtful process is completed to ensure protection of conservation resources.

Sponsorships are available from $500 – $5,000. Individual Ticket Price is $200.     Admission is by advance ticket or sponsorship purchase only by May 5 at www.drgreenway.org or by calling 609 578-7470. Safety precautions will be taken including limiting the number of participants; reserve your place now. Gala sponsorships and tickets benefit D&R Greenway’s conservation of birds and habitat on the future Betty Wold Johnson Preserve.

 

 

D&R Greenway’s Donald B. Jones Conservation Award annually recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to conservation. It is a high honor that stands for personal commitment with on-the-ground results. In 1977, The Featherbed Lane Bird Banding Station in the Sourlands was initiated by Hannah Suthers. Sharyn Magee joined two decades ago. These two scientists have dedicated 15,000 hours at one of the longest-running bird banding stations in the U.S.! Their data informed Cornell University’s 2019 study that sounded an alarm: 2.9 billion birds have disappeared across North America in the last 50 years, largely due to loss of habitat.

 

“Sharyn and Hannah are special people who have devoted many years to helping us understand and protect local bird life.  They work on the front-lines of the battle to save wildlife conservation.”   Linda J. Mead, President & CEO, D&R Greenway.

 

The  2022 Donald B. Jones Awardees, Hannah Suthers and Sharyn Magee, will be introduced at the Greenway Gala by Paul G. Rodewald of Cornell University, Science Editor, Birds of the World project.

####

About D&R Greenway Land Trust: D&R Greenway Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit that has reached a new milestone of over 22,000 acres of land preserved throughout central New Jersey since 1989. By protecting land in perpetuity and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for residents of the region—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations. D&R Greenway’s mission is centered on connecting land with people from all walks of life. www.drgreenway.org; info@drgreenway.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

TRENTON, N.J. — National Volunteer Week (April 17-23) recognizes volunteers for the selfless contributions they make in their communities.

 

This year, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes shines a spotlight on the Park Commission’s Wildlife Center, where dozens of volunteers help the center fulfill its mission of caring for injured, ill and displaced native wildlife so they can be released back into an appropriate wild habitat.

 

“When the Mercer County Wildlife Center puts out a call for volunteers, the community responds,” Mr. Hughes said. “Veterinarians, college students and members of the general public play a key role in helping the center’s staff handle the heavy volume of patients and inquiries each year, and we are grateful for their interest in serving.”

 

 

The Wildlife Center, located on Route 29 in Hopewell Township, accepted and treated more than 2,800 birds, mammals and reptiles in 2021, and fielded more than 15,000 telephone calls from people with questions or concerns about wildlife. Orientations for new volunteers are held early in the spring to help the center gear up for its busy season, April to September, when injured and displaced animals are being cared for 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Volunteer duties are varied and include enclosure cleaning, diet preparation, laundry and many other behind-the-scenes tasks.

 

When COVID-19 protocols began in the spring of 2020, it was necessary to temporarily discontinue the Wildlife Center’s volunteer participation.  A stalwart group of volunteers returned at the end of 2020 and into early 2021. For the 2021 season, 34 hearty souls jumped in to work with the patients and staff to keep the center operational.

 

“We cannot thank them enough for their continued efforts,” Mr. Hughes said. “For the first time since 2019, the Wildlife Center held new volunteer orientations this year, and hopes to work its way back up to the 100 or more volunteers who have assisted the facility in years past.”

 

Community members also can assist the Wildlife Center by donating supplies such as paper towels, pet bowls, pet taxis, receiving blankets and more. For a list of needed supplies including brand names, click here.