Month: April 2012

The 2nd annual Bard 5K Run To Support Our Schools was a success!

On Sunday, April 22nd, in spite of the chilly Spring weather, over 75 folks came out of their warm homes to help the RHEF in its mission to support Red Hook Schools.  There were runners of all ages and speeds, as well as a number of walkers this year.  The course, which winds through the Bard campus, was well-marked and showed off the campus in Springtime.  It was nice to see a number of entire families walking or running the course together!  After the run, there were winners in many categories, and participants were happy to receive their prizes of tickets to Bard Summerscape.  What a great way for a community to join together, with an invigorating walk/run while supporting Red Hook Schools!  Thanks to all who helped organize this annual event, and to all who participated.  RHEF is donating half the profits from the race to the Red Hook Sports Boosters Club.

Top 5 winners are as follows:
Jim McNulty 23:32; Sally Dwyer McNulty 24:18; Christina Beal 24:29; Jenny Carpenter 24:35; Aiden Hackmeyer 25:20.

On March 15, 2012, Red Hook Central Schools received word that they had been selected to receive a $500.00 grant to support the Garden at Mill Road; the first grant written by the Red Hook Education Foundation Team!   This particular grant was offered by Annie’s, Inc., as part of their “Grants for Gardens” initiative to fund small grants for community or school gardens that connect children directly to real food.  A small group of committed community members who happen to be skilled at grant-writing have been collaborating for just a few months, and have another grant currently under review as well.

This particular grant will facilitate the second phase of the garden; specifically the creation of cold frames to protect hardy greens and herbs into the late Fall, and then again in early Spring in order to extend the growing (and learning!) season of the garden.

As Tricia Paffendorf, horticulturist and coordinator of the Garden at Mill Road aptly put it, “Thanks so much … for all of your contributions in landing our very first grant.  You all took action after one meeting not too long ago, rocked on a couple grants, and now…Yippee!”