It was the perfect night for a garden party. And the Friends of Rye Nature Center had the perfect reason to celebrate in the garden of Tom and Mary Julian May 12. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the FRNC partnership with the Inner-City Scholarship Fund, bringing children from the inner city out to the Rye Nature Center for two weeks of summer camp.
It all started with a letter from a boy in the ICSF program who was homeless for the summer. That led to the first year of 50 children coming out to Rye for one week of camp. Today, over 120 children participate each summer. And through the Nature Access Fund, environmental programs are brought to their schools in the inner city, as well as to organizations serving the Westchester community who work with minority youth, low-income women, disabled children and adults, and senior citizens.
The gathering raised over $60,000, ensuring these programs will continue. Here’s to the next ten!
Photos by Pedro Garcia