| Home Perspectives Calendar Shop FOBP Wishes You A Very Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy and Happy New Year! December 15, 2022 Newsletter Where Do We Go From Here? A rainbow stretched through the sky over Brightwood Park recently. How fitting that a sign of hope and beauty that appears after stormy weather graced the sky above the park. In seeming solidarity with that rainbow, there is hope and beauty in the park. The return of native plants and the appearance of new visitors with children and dogs in tow bring optimism for the future. With the park much improved and our educational programs taking off, I ask, “Where do we go from here?” It is a question of import as we ponder the future and what might be in the pot at the end of the rainbow. Of course, we plan to continue to build on all of the work we have done to date in the coming year. However, looking into 2023, the question looms, what more should we do? At our annual membership meeting on January 14, 2023, we will seek guidance from our sustaining members. [1] There are so many things we could do: Fundraise for a new sign for the entrance to Brightwood Park? Develop a program to repopulate native plants in areas where invasives used to dominate? Hold a members only plant sale in the fall to help with this effort? Work on a solution for the eroded slope near where the old rope swing used to be? Create social activities to bring our membership together? We have had tremendous success with our Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Trunk or Treat event. Should we consider other seasonal family events? Do you have any ideas? Would you like to help us develop events? If you have paid annual dues by December 31, 2022 to become a sustaining member, we hope that you will bring your ideas to our January member meeting. Not only will we discuss these and other ideas, we will vote for directors for open three year terms. We will send out an email invitation in early January to all voting/sustaining members with details for the meeting. We hope to see you in the new year! Warm regards, Denise Fontana Ricci, President [1] We have recently changed our By-Laws to reflect the true nature of our dues paying members! You sustain us and keep us going by helping to cover our operational and program expenses. We thank you for your support! 2022 - Education in Review Exploration and Adventure in Nature Thank you to the Recreation Department Butterflies, spiders, and bats… plants and flowers … habitats, mud, and weather … migrate, hibernate, or stay… Children learned about and experienced nature in the park this year through our monthly classes for 2 to 8 year olds. From spring to late autumn, children shared their enthusiastic curiosities about the ever changing goings-on in Brightwood. Each outing highlighted a different seasonal theme but always with story time, movement, conversations, a related craft and a walk. They made maps, had scavenger hunts, and experienced yoga in the forest. FOBP held a story walk for Read Across America, and celebrated Earth Day. At Halloween, families walked our Jack-O-Lantern trail and were rewarded with treats along the path of tree trunks. McKinley school students were treated to a special event in the park where they learned about history and animal homes. The song, The Greatest Love of All , recognizes that children are our future and admonishes us to “teach them well and let them lead the way.” FOBP’s Education Committee worked tirelessly this year to enrich the lives of children and their families. We hope that a love of nature will inspire tomorrow’s leaders to be environmental stewards. All of this was only made possible through the support and assistance from the Westfield Recreation Department. FOBP thanks Linda Johnson for her enthusiasm and encouragement! To see more photos from the year in review, click here! Calendar of Events FOBP's December programming was cancelled due to the deer hunt expansion. We have been busy planning for 2023. Our programs will begin again in March 2023. Check the Brightwood Kids page for the calendar of classes in 2023. A Word of Thank You to the Town, Recreation Commission and Department of Public Works FOBP made great progress on our goal of a restored nature preserve this past year. Through the Westfield Parks Invasive Plants Strike Team, individual members volunteered to remove large swaths of invasive plants. With the much appreciated assistance of the Department of Public Works personnel, FOBP resurfaced the entire pond loop trail. Scouts furthered our efforts with thoughtful conservation minded projects. Our successes would not have been possible without the support of Mayor Brindle, Town Council, town administration, Recreation Commission, and Department of Public Works. We thank them for their support and assistance with all that we accomplished in 2022. Without this support, our work would not be possible. We look forward to our continued collaboration in 2023. Brightwood has a bright future! BRIGHTWOOD KIDS NATURE DETECTIVES December Newsletter You can find the complete newsletter link here. BRIGHTWOOD TURTLES What kind of turtles live in Brightwood? Where do they go in the winter? Find out these answers and learn how turtles live and breathe underwater all winter. Hint: they breathe through their butts for the cold, winter months! Read more about Brightwood's turtles here! Sugar Maples Sugar Maples are abundant in Brightwood Park. These trees are important for the many animals and insects that rely upon them for shelter and food. But how will climate change impact them... and our maple syrup supply? Read more about Sugar Maples here! Let It Snow! Then See Who Has Been In The Neighborhood! After a snowfall, take a walk to see what animal tracks you can find. We live in an area with deer, opossum, raccoons, dogs, cats and more. Can you identify who has been roaming in the neighborhood? For help identifying tracks you find, check out: https://www.treehugger.com/animal-tracks-you-can-identify-your-own-yard-4869741 For the complete Brightwood Kids' newsletter, you can find it on the Brightwood Kids page. FOBP Store If you are looking for a special gift... Shop FOBP! Our popular caps and totes can be delivered to your door! Easiest holiday shopping ever! |
FOBP Wishes You A Very Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy and Happy New Year! | |
December 15, 2022 Newsletter | |
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Where Do We Go From Here? | |
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A rainbow stretched through the sky over Brightwood Park recently. How fitting that a sign of hope and beauty that appears after stormy weather graced the sky above the park. In seeming solidarity with that rainbow, there is hope and beauty in the park.
The return of native plants and the appearance of new visitors with children and dogs in tow bring optimism for the future. With the park much improved and our educational programs taking off, I ask, “Where do we go from here?” It is a question of import as we ponder the future and what might be in the pot at the end of the rainbow.
Of course, we plan to continue to build on all of the work we have done to date in the coming year. However, looking into 2023, the question looms, what more should we do? At our annual membership meeting on January 14, 2023, we will seek guidance from our sustaining members. [1] There are so many things we could do:
- Fundraise for a new sign for the entrance to Brightwood Park?
- Develop a program to repopulate native plants in areas where invasives used to dominate? Hold a members only plant sale in the fall to help with this effort?
- Work on a solution for the eroded slope near where the old rope swing used to be?
- Create social activities to bring our membership together?
We have had tremendous success with our Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Trunk or Treat event. Should we consider other seasonal family events? Do you have any ideas? Would you like to help us develop events?
If you have paid annual dues by December 31, 2022 to become a sustaining member, we hope that you will bring your ideas to our January member meeting. Not only will we discuss these and other ideas, we will vote for directors for open three year terms. We will send out an email invitation in early January to all voting/sustaining members with details for the meeting. We hope to see you in the new year!
Warm regards,
Denise Fontana Ricci, President
[1] We have recently changed our By-Laws to reflect the true nature of our dues paying members! You sustain us and keep us going by helping to cover our operational and program expenses. We thank you for your support!
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2022 - Education in Review
Exploration and Adventure in Nature
Thank you to the Recreation Department
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Butterflies, spiders, and bats… plants and flowers … habitats, mud, and weather … migrate, hibernate, or stay…
Children learned about and experienced nature in the park this year through our monthly classes for 2 to 8 year olds. From spring to late autumn, children shared their enthusiastic curiosities about the ever changing goings-on in Brightwood. Each outing highlighted a different seasonal theme but always with story time, movement, conversations, a related craft and a walk. They made maps, had scavenger hunts, and experienced yoga in the forest. FOBP held a story walk for Read Across America, and celebrated Earth Day. At Halloween, families walked our Jack-O-Lantern trail and were rewarded with treats along the path of tree trunks. McKinley school students were treated to a special event in the park where they learned about history and animal homes.
The song, The Greatest Love of All, recognizes that children are our future and admonishes us to “teach them well and let them lead the way.” FOBP’s Education Committee worked tirelessly this year to enrich the lives of children and their families. We hope that a love of nature will inspire tomorrow’s leaders to be environmental stewards.
All of this was only made possible through the support and assistance from the Westfield Recreation Department. FOBP thanks Linda Johnson for her enthusiasm and encouragement!
To see more photos from the year in review, click here!
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|
|
A Word of Thank You to the Town, Recreation Commission and Department of Public Works | |
FOBP made great progress on our goal of a restored nature preserve this past year. Through the Westfield Parks Invasive Plants Strike Team, individual members volunteered to remove large swaths of invasive plants. With the much appreciated assistance of the Department of Public Works personnel, FOBP resurfaced the entire pond loop trail. Scouts furthered our efforts with thoughtful conservation minded projects.
Our successes would not have been possible without the support of Mayor Brindle, Town Council, town administration, Recreation Commission, and Department of Public Works. We thank them for their support and assistance with all that we accomplished in 2022. Without this support, our work would not be possible. We look forward to our continued collaboration in 2023. Brightwood has a bright future!
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BRIGHTWOOD KIDS NATURE DETECTIVES
December Newsletter
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What kind of turtles live in Brightwood? Where do they go in the winter? Find out these answers and learn how turtles live and breathe underwater all winter. Hint: they breathe through their butts for the cold, winter months!
Read more about Brightwood's turtles here!
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|
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|
Sugar Maples are abundant in Brightwood Park. These trees are important for the many animals and insects that rely upon them for shelter and food. But how will climate change impact them... and our maple syrup supply?
Read more about Sugar Maples here!
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|
|
|
Let It Snow! Then See Who Has Been In The Neighborhood! | |
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If you are looking for a special gift... Shop FOBP!
Our popular caps and totes can be delivered to your door! Easiest holiday shopping ever!
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