Dear Friend of CEED,

This is quite an exciting time for the Center for Environmental Education and Discovery. And we are honored to have you with us as we gain momentum.

I want to invite you to Sculpture on the Trail … an Art & Nature Exhibition on August 20, 2022. We have joined with Inspiration Plus, a wonderful organization that fosters art on the south fork. Together, we have recruited seventeen amazing sculptors who have chosen a special spot on our North Trail and created a sculpture to honor the connection between art and nature at that spot.

Just imagine walking the trail and finding a new surprise of world-class art around each corner!

The exhibition will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, but the day is not over at that point. In fact, at 3:30, we’re holding a special reception where you can meet and chat with the artists, while listening to blues and jazz music by the band Natural Causes. The sculpture event is free, but registration is required for the reception and concert. Go to ceedli.org for more info and to register.

Registering for the reception is one way to help CEED. And we need your help because a lot has been going on this year, and more is coming this fall. Here are just a few things to note:

1. Thanks to generous donations, we installed a new fire safety system throughout the building and at long last, we have approval to use three rooms on the first floor for education and meeting purposes. With additional donations and volunteer work, we also renovated the Woodlands Hall, with the official opening in mid-May. Since then, we have had many programs in the hall.
2. We added a Camp Director position and six per diem staff. We are still fine-tuning these positions, but the demand for our programs from schools and other organizations is really strong and having the new indoor space allows us to have onsite field trips now.
3. We began our Wave Maker program for children 8-17, on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Go to ceedli.org/wave-makers/wave-makers-restoring-the-world/
4. At the request of parents, we expanded our summer program and included kindergarteners. We’re so grateful to all our supporters that so many children have gotten a chance to explore and experience our Long Island nature.
5. We installed 21 brand new windows, which is great. Of course, there are 43 windows on the first floor alone and a total of 88 windows altogether! We have a long way to go.
6. We officially completed our 2022-2024 Strategic Plan. Our focus revolves around four anchors: Climate Change, Biodiversity, Water Sources, and Sustainability.
7. We re-ignited and fine-tuned the Seed & Soil event to foster sustainable gardens and lawns. Thanks to everyone who participated! We’re planning an even bigger and better event next year!
8. We started a garden group to work on our raised garden beds. Thanks to volunteer gardening expertise, each raised bed garden now has a specific education purpose.

Here is what is to come for the next few months:

1. Renovating a second restroom for public use.
2. Repairing the ceiling in the kitchen and main first floor hallway.
3. Renovating the large room on the east side of the building as the Marine Hall.
4. Growing our adult and family programs.
5. Increasing our art and cultural offerings aligned with our four anchors.
6. Work on a Building Conditions Report to help us create a plan for environmentally friendly and efficient systems for electricity, heating, and wastewater.

As a non-profit, we need continued support and volunteer help to make this happen.

We truly appreciate your support and hope you will help CEED continue to provide low-cost and no-cost programs, fund our ongoing renovation of the Washington Lodge, and help us develop as an organization that connects people to nature.

So please take just one minute to make a donation at ceedli.org/donate. I would be so grateful. And then, reward yourself by going outside to enjoy the rest of this Long Island summer!

Sally Wellinger

Executive Director