Poricy Park Conservancy. Feisty News. Fall 2018

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1 Poricy Park Conservancy Feisty News Fall 2018 An entire volunteer force has run the Conservancy for the past year. Our Mission has been to preserve and enrich the park as a nature preserve and to educate the community about its historical and recreational resources. We begin again by displaying information about the Park at Middletown Day. As part of our Mission we successfully fought the battle with JCP&L over installing high power lines along a one mile border of Poricy Park itself. The Conservancy joined 10 Bayshore Communities along with RAGE and the New Jersey BPU denied their petition. We are happy to announce that JCP&L has allowed a request for appeal to expire. We are so pleased and happy that our Park is preserved!! Beginning with a bequest made many years ago to the Poricy Park Conservancy by the will of Anne Haskell Ellis for $25,000, and after much thought and care, the Conservancy and Township agreed that the best project with the endowment would be an outdoor pavilion. There is no such structure like that in the park, and there is need of one to enhance existing programs, classes, and special events. The Township and New Outdoor Pavilion Base Plants: Sedum album Coral Carpet Sedum spurium Fuldaglut Sedum spurium Rainbow Sedum spurium Album Superbum Sedum spurium Guacamole Sedum spurium John Creech Conservancy began planning for the pavilion. In the beginning of 2016, a pavilion sub-committee was formed, made up of Conservancy members and Township staff, and Middletown green team members. The endowment would be pooled with Township capital to construct the pavilion. During the initial planning stages, the 2017 Sustainable Jersey Small Grant Cycle funded by PSEG was announced. The Park has always served as a focal point of many of the Township s sustainability programs, and after meeting with vendors about different pavilion structures, the pavilion sub-committee came across the option of a green roof. At that point, the subcommittee thought to develop the pavilion idea further, take advantage of the Sustainable Jersey grant funding, and apply for funding to green the roof of the pavilion. In addition to serving as an outdoor space, a live roof, will create an opportunity to serve as a cool and attractive shade space, and give children and community a chance to learn about green roof systems and their positive impacts related to run off and indoor temps. The Pavilion is scheduled to be complete by September The Conservancy is looking forward to utilizing the structure for special events. Poricy Park Conservancy is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization; donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. 345 Oak Hill Road P.O. Box 36 Middletown, NJ

2 The Fourth Annual Antique Car Show and Vehicle Display was held in May 2018 and was very successful. The weather was beautiful and the turnout was very satisfactory as you can tell by the number of exhibitors filling our parking lot. We had a return visit by the Fox, an antique fire engine presented by the Port Monmouth Fire Company. It was joined by the Middletown Fire Company No. 1 bringing their current engine and also trying to recruit new members to the Fire Department. Middletown was known in the past as the largest volunteer fire department in the world. Our firefighters do a fantastic job! We enjoyed the variety of vehicles including a collection of antique motorcycles. Visitors to the Car Show also enjoyed visiting our Revolutionary War era Farmhouse and Barn with costumed re-enactors which was on the list of historic sites open on Weekend in Old Monmouth. The Show opened with a ribbon cutting by Township Committeeman Tony Perri accompanied by Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger. The show ended with trophies awarded to People s Choice selections as first, second and third place winners. Each car selected was awarded a trophy and a gift basket donated by local automotive businesses. Photos of individual winners are available on our Poricy Park website ( Support and Shop at our Generous Sponsors Community Sponsors - Colonial Christmas - December 2017 URAS Monuments, Little Hat Marketing & Design, Edward Jones/Michael Guerrero, Foodtown, Stop and Shop, Bertuccis Community Sponsors & Donors - 4th Annual Car & Tractor Show - May 2018 Heritage House Sotheby s International Realty, Lentz Auto Body, Auto Exotica, L&M Auto Center, Crown Tire, Butch s Lube n Wash, Red Bank Recycling, Two River Community Bank, Edward Jones/Michael Guerrero, Advance Auto Parts of Middletown, Naylors of Atlantic Highlands, Firestone Complete Auto Care of Middletown, Roberta Maresca, RockAuto.com, Schwartz Mazda, Garden State Car Wash

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4 Poricy Park Conservancy Announces Return: Colonial Christmas With the end of summer many folks become melancholy. Let s look ahead with enthusiasm to the blazing glories of autumn and the upcoming family and friends gatherings as the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. Poricy Park Conservancy is again planning a fun and quiet time to prepare for those times with its presentation of Colonial Christmas. Planned for the Thanksgiving weekend of November 24 an 25th, the Park will be open for quiet hikes, photos with Santa at the Nature Center and a return to simpler times at the Revolutionary Era Farmhouse and Barn. Both are historic sites and the Farmhouse will have the fragrances of a wood fire, hot chocolate and cookies and costumed re-enactors to take you on a tour, tell you about Christmas in Colonial times and invite you to visit the adorable baby goats from Oasis. There will be other surprises when visiting groups come to sing, organic gifts for sale in the barn and new this year --- a Horse and Wagon ride in the Park. Prices for the photos and wagon ride are family friendly and the tours and refreshments are free so put this on your calendar and plan on coming. A serene and pleasant way to begin the holiday season. The Poricy Park Conservancy held its first ever photography contest to encourage our visitors to enjoy the cool, crisp winter in Poricy, and capture the beauty of Winter in Poricy. All ages were welcome to participate. The contest was announced in December of 2017 and ran until April Sixteen (16) photo entries were received and all were beautiful representations of the park. Images ranged from the Poricy Pond, historic Murray farmhouse, the oak tree, wildlife, snowmen, to children playing in the snow. The Poricy Park Conservancy announced the winner and honorable mentions at an Awards Ceremony, held on May 31, 2018 in the Poricy Park Nature Center. Township Committeeman Tony Perry and other Township staff were invited along with the contest participants to celebrate the contest results. Light refreshments were provided by the Conservancy s Board of Trustees, and it was truly a special evening had by all. Winter in Poricy Photo Contest The winner of the contest, Kelly A. Bell of Middletown, chose to showcase the historic Murray Farmhouse, from the vantage point of the Murray Pond (image below). Honorable mentions included Christopher Adams, Danielle Rucinski, David Rucinski, Keara Zarrillo, and Valerie Leone. The winner received a gift certificate to a local restaurant, and $50 towards a Middletown Recreation Program. Awards Ceremony, from left to right (Back Row) Anthony Mercantante, Administrator, Middletown Township; Bill Snell, Board of Trustee; Kelly A. Bell, resident and contest winner; Tony Perry, Township Committeeman, Middletown Township; (Front Row) Janet Dellett, Director of Recreation, Middletown Township; Linda Maresca, Board of Trustee; Janet Currie, Board of Trustee; Elaine Lent, Board of Trustee; Elaine Hinckley, President, Poricy Park Conservancy; Amy Sarrinikolaou, Director of Community Development, Middletown Township; and Peter VanNortwick, Board of Trustee. Fall in Poricy Photography Contest! Enjoy the cool, crisp Autumn weather in Poricy Park and take a photo that captures Fall in Poricy. One winner will be selected by the Poricy Park Conservancy Board of Trustees (prize to be determined). Photos may be submitted via or printed. No fee to enter and entries must be submitted by November 30, See website for details. Winner, Kelly A. Bell s, of Middletown, photo of the historic Murray Farmhouse taken from the Murray Pond.

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6 Are you a Member of Poricy Park Conservancy? Poricy Park Conservancy is totally funded by memberships, donations, sponsors of events and grants. We hope that citizens will support Poricy with a donation as members. Please consider becoming a member of Poricy Park Conservancy or renewing your membership. Good reasons: Support the mission to provide access to a peaceful, pure natural environment, which is nature friendly, family friendly, historically informative and beautiful! We invite you to participate in the planned events, which are economical and close to home. Bring friends, new neighbors and family to enjoy this beautiful setting. Offer suggestions for new activities, enjoy some discounts, we have reduced the price of membership but need more members to continue to provide new activities. Middletown Township is a large community but this is one of the places where we can all come at different times to relax and enjoy nature and history. Be part of it. Our Mission Statement The Mission of Poricy Park Conservancy is to preserve and enrich the park as a nature preserve and to educate the community about its historic and recreational resources. Personal membership rates are: Senior Citizens - $15 Adult Individuals - $20 Family - $35 Patron - $100 Supporter - $150 Champion - $250 Benefactor - $500 Membership in Poricy Park Conservancy is valid for one year and is tax-deductible. Join or renew on-line today! Event Sponsorships are also available; please contact us for details at or poricypark@gmail.com Who is Feisty??? Feisty is our new mascot. He is a resident turtle in the classroom at the Nature Center and he loves attention from the students and visitors. Go visit and play with him. He loves to come to the class and swims back and forth with you. The Park is home to wild Snapping Turtles who live in the ponds and one recently was found coming out of the Barn. Beware of getting too close as they have powerful beaks. Saturday, October 20, 2018, 4-7pm Recreation Dept. is having an Applefest and Harvest Hullabaloo. There will also be Tours at the Farmhouse and Barn plus a science lesson on dissecting Owl Pellets. Third Saturdays There will be Community Science on the 3rd Saturday of each month with different topics. Upcoming Events at Poricy Park Saturday, Nov. 24 and Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018 Poricy Park Conservancy will be having Colonial Christmas with Santa photos and a Horse Drawn wagon ride at the Farmhouse and Barn. 345 Oak Hill Road Middletown, NJ Fall Photo Contest Enter the Fall in Poricy photography contest by November 30, See website for details. Saturday, May 4, th Annual Antique Car Show and Vehicle Display. Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 2019 Weekend in Old Monmouth - Murray Farmhouse and Barn will be open for visits.