Photo by Jessica Fadel on Unsplash

Spring is here! We are just a few days in, and already blossoms are emerging, color is returning to nature, and the ospreys are back. Our Garden State shines this time of year, and it’s a wonderful season to enjoy our parks, natural areas, and vistas.

The MCF team has several preservation initiatives in the pipeline, and 2023 is shaping up to be an active year with some significant land acquisition projects in terms of acreage and conservation value. We are also working on a handful of innovative park development projects and look forward to sharing news soon!

The road to preservation is not direct, but more like a game of Chutes and Ladders™ with its steps forward and slides back, and the reality is, preserving a property can take years – even a decade or more – from the first conversation with the landowner.

We hope to see you and new friends at our Spring for Conservation Family Day in May, detailed below. Events such as this bring new audiences to MCF and provide much-needed revenue to support our work.

Thank you for reading and for helping MCF to #KeepMonmouthGreen!

Cordially,

Kudos to Ocean Township on its Future Park!

Spring for Conservation Family Day

 Proceeds keep MCF running and drive our preservation work

For reservations, sponsorship, underwriting, or partnership opportunities, please contact Kathleen Kenney at kkenney@monmouthconservation.org or 732.671.7000. NOTE: the deadline for sponsors to be recognized on the printed invitation is Monday, March 27. 

Last month marked the end of a popular way for millions of people to quickly and easily donate to a favorite charity, and for nonprofit organizations of every size and from every sector – including MCF - to raise some money by doing little or nothing. On February 20th, after ten years and some $500 million dollars in donations, Amazon pulled the plug on its AmazonSmile program, which it summed up in a few words: You Shop, AmazonSmile Donates. Click here to learn why, how it will impact organizations like MCF, and how you can help - like becoming a monthly donor to MCF!

The entire MCF community mourns the loss of Meredyth R. “Dythie” Armitage and celebrates her rich life of 90 years. Beyond her successful interior design business, Dythie was dedicated to her family and deeply involved in service to her community. A long-time Rumson resident, she served on the Borough’s Planning Board and was elected to the Borough Council and Board of Education. She was on the board of Planned Parenthood and, for more than two decades, held numerous board positions at Meridian Healthcare and Hackensack Meridian Health. We are grateful for Dythie's past service as an MCF trustee and her many contributions to our organization over the years.

With our deepest respect and heartfelt thanks, MCF pays tribute to James J. “Jim” Truncer, who served for over half a century as Secretary Director of the Monmouth County Park System (MCPS) during his robust life of 86 years. Jim helped spearhead the formation of MCF and was a cherished partner and an MCF ex-officio board member. We commend Jim’s leadership and dedication to partnering with MCF to preserve green space throughout the County. Throughout his 58 years at MCPS, he led the park system’s growth from 350 acres to over 18,000. He achieved the nation’s first accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and maintained that standard of excellence throughout his tenure. We applaud Jim’s vision of protecting natural resources while providing for park public recreation throughout the county. Our MCF community is honored by Jim’s his past service as an MCF trustee and his unmeasurable contributions to our organization and community. 

Please save the dates for upcoming MCF signature fundraising events! Proceeds provide discretionary funding to support MCF’s operations and preservation projects.

For event reservations, sponsorship, or partnership opportunities, please contact Kathleen Kenney at kkenney@monmouthconservation.org or 732.671.7000

www.monmouthconservation.org _ 732.671.7000