Park2Park Walk 2017!

On June 17th, I am planning on doing a Park to Park walk to raise funds and awareness for Fernridge Park located in West Hartford, CT.  I happen to be the treasurer of Friends of Fernridge Park, but I'm also a neighbor and a frequent visitor to this wonderful town resource.  My goal is $10K which is a significant amount but so is my trek! My itinerary is to start at Fernridge Park at sunrise, proceed to Wolcott (breakfast), Beachland (coffee snack), Kennedy (lunch), Vanderbilt (afternoon refreshment), Eisenhower (more afternoon refreshment), Westmoor (yet another snack) and return to Fernridge (party time). Google maps says the distance is 15 miles and I'm setting my pace at 2mi/hr with ample time at each park for a rest (and snack). If the weather is really severe (t-storms, tornadoes!), then I'll do the walk on June 24th.  Alongside me, hopefully, will be my four- legged walking partner, Delia and a few two-legged friends as well!  As far as I know, this is a first for the Town of West Hartford.

Wondering why I'm undertaking this venture?  Well, Friends of Fernridge Park is embarking on a campaign to raise money to restore and improve paths in the park.  Founded in 2011, Friends of Fernridge Park is a non-profit, park advocacy organization that works to maintain and enhance the natural beauty and recreational resources of Fernridge Park in partnership with the Town of West Hartford.  In 2013 we commissioned a plan to create a vision for the future of the park . The final plan’s central feature, and the Friends top priority, is a Promenade around the pool, 1,000 feet in circumference and 8 feet wide. The Promenade will tie together the many paths leading into the park into a unified whole. It will give direction to and unity of the park’s vital center.   Our first project will cost upwards of $100,000 and I want to get the campaign off on the right foot!!

I am excited about this project and I hope you will be, too!  Please support our effort!  Any donation will be gratefully received.