Flanders 60th Anniversary Capital Campaign: Environmental Education Facilities Expansion
Flanders’ Board President Jodi Wasserstein, Treasurer Bill Anthony and Executive Director Vincent D. LaFontan, MHA met with Bob Nichols, the President of the Ellen Knowles Harcourt Foundation to receive a generous $20,000 gift
Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust, a leader in environmental education in the region, is pleased to announce the launch of a 60th Anniversary Capital Campaign to provide enhancements to its Environmental Educational facilities at the Van Vleck Sanctuary in Woodbury. This exciting $600,000 campaign seeks to enhance Flanders’ ability to educate and serve the thousands of children, adults and families who attend immersive, educational programming here at the campus.
When complete, this project will add a state-of-the-art lab to the existing historic Trail House, enabling Flanders to educate more children at summer camps and NGSS Academies. It will also provide space to graduate-level researchers conducting vital environmental research on the campus’ 200-plus acres.
In addition to the work done at the Trail House, facilities will be added to the iconic Sugar House guaranteeing year-round use of the building for maple sugaring operations and youth and family programming.
As part of its commitment to the mitigation of climate change, Flanders plans to build two pavilions with solar panels on their roofs, one located near the Van Vleck House and the other at the Sugar House. The pavilions will provide much needed additional space for our growing camp and adult programs and also serve to educate program participants and campers on the importance of conservation and alternative energy sources to help reduce the impact of climate change on our environment. Panels will also be placed on the South Barn. The solar panels will enable Flanders to use solar energy at five of its buildings and significantly reduce its electrical energy costs over future years.
For nearly 60 years Flanders has served as a hub for environmental education in Woodbury and beyond. This campaign enables Flanders to continue serving the community in a meaningful way and provides opportunities for further studies and research to be conducted, while also decreasing the organization’s carbon footprint. This campaign is vital to Flanders’ ability to serve and meet the needs of our community, with programs and camps consistently reaching or exceeding capacity, this expansion of our Environmental Education facilities is essential.
Donate to Flanders Capital Campaign!
We hope you will contribute to this worthwhile campaign and help to solidify Flanders as a leading center for environmental education for the next 60 years! For more information on how you can make a gift, contact Director of Development Jennifer Callery-Stokes at 203-263-3711 ext 15.
