The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway Newsletter
Volume 2, Issue 9, November 2022
The Trail Mix is the monthly newsletter of The Friends of the Greenway. We established this bulletin to keep the Friends and users of the Greenway current on some of the “goings-on” regarding our Trail and to dispense a mix of bits and bytes of flavorful information. Hopefully, The Trail Mix will help to enlighten, inform, and entertain our readers. The Friends of the Greenway is a committee of our parent organization – The Three Village Community Trust.
As we have said before in this newsletter, the Three Village Community Trust’s Fall Gala is the most important fundraiser to support the Greenway. This event goes a long way to help your Greenway Team pay for: supplies for our cleanups, paint to cover graffiti, tools requested by Stewards, insurance coverage, and even grass seed! The Gala also supports the Trust’s building restoration projects, website maintenance, mailings, and utilities. It is a great, fun event. Please attend!
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION!
Take me Away:
We all know the Greenway. It is a remarkable recreational space that is widely used throughout the year. But sometimes you want to break out and visit another place to get your exercise and a bit of fresh air. So, we thought we would review some of the other bike and pedestrian-friendly venues in the community in the next few issues. First up:
Laurel Ridge Setauket Woods Nature Preserve (Most often called Laurel Ridge)
Wow – This is a huge, sprawling park located just north of NYS Route 347 in Setauket. The property is on both sides of Belle Meade Road and is a ‘go-to’ destination for the mountain bike community. But it remains relatively unknown and unused by the greater walking and bicycling community. That’s a shame because, with over 250 acres of land and miles and miles of trails, Laurel Ridge is perfect for any outdoor enthusiast who is looking for a serious workout and willing to get a little lost at times. Fall is the perfect time to visit the preserve!!
With its pine-oak forest and an extensive understory of mountain laurel, the preserve serves a wide variety of wildlife: migratory songbirds, woodpeckers, reptiles, and small mammals. With rolling hills and expansive forest, the preserve offers an “Upstate New York State” experience right here in our backyard.
Access Point: There are several areas up and down Belle Meade Road to gain access to the trails. You’ll find these entryways on both sides of the road. Best to bring your compass, backpack, and some water.
Our Monthly Cleanup: September
The last monthly cleanup of the year was held the last month and was another success. A great Saturday morning and our dedicated crew worked throughout the morning to improve the Greenway and the community. Thank you!! And …
A big shout out to Charlie McAteer, Dave Wang, and Aaron Hoffman for being regulars at the cleanups throughout the year. Your leadership and dedication are appreciated!
And recently Charlie McAteer signed off on yet another Eagle Scout project to enhance the trail!!
See photo!!
And, how ‘bout these Eagle Scout candidates hard at work installing a concrete pad at one of the Greenway benches? The pads are important for easing access to the benches.
Why not join the Greenway Team? Email Herb or Charlie:
HJMones@gmail.com
cfmcateer@gmail.com
Missed an issue of the Trail Mix? Check out threevillagecommunitytrust.org to view past issues!
Remember This: The Three Village Community Trust is our parent organization and is now holding its Annual Membership Drive! Without the Trust, the Friends of the Greenway would not have the needed financial support and the organizational capacity to effectively maintain our stewardship of the trail.
So, if you are a Greenway user, a trail advocate, or simply someone committed to the community, please consider joining the Trust today to “Protect the Places You Love.”
Click here to become a member!
Wow, it was a great idea!
If you remember, back in the Fall of 2021, we announced we are running advertisements and messages to fund Greenway projects. We wrote:
Want to advertise your business or service, and at the same time help the Greenway?
With the wild popularity of The Trail Mix (or at least we’d like to think so), we have decided to give businesses and individuals an opportunity to advertise in our newsletter. At the end of The Trail Mix, we’ll post advertisements and personal messages for the whooping sum of $25 per issue. All proceeds will go to the care and maintenance of the Greenway – gloves, tools, trash bags, cleaning supplies, and other basic necessities for the Trail Stewards and volunteers.
Interested in advertising: Contact hjmones@gmail.com with your content, and the payment method and other details will be emailed back to you!
TRAIL BLING !!!!
Well, here are some of our advertisements:
…………………………….
Bagel Express at 15-5 Bennetts Road in Setauket. Owned and operated by David Prestia, Bagel Express generously donates the catering of our Trail Steward breakfasts. Delicious bagels, hot, steaming coffee – so good! For the second year in a row, The Trail Mix has voted Bagel Express #1 for breakfast and lunch, and all of your catering needs. Thanks, Dave.
Also – Dave was THE generous sponsor for the Chicken Hill BBQ. He provided the food and refreshments, as well as the wait staff! We appreciate all of his contributions to the Trust!
A Big Friend of the Trust is Swan Cove Landscaping (631-689-8089). Swan Cove does a whole line of services – lawn maintenance, pruning, stone walls, and firewood. Dave Fortuna, the owner/operator, donates many, many of his services to the Trust. The result – our properties always look great! Thank you, Dave!
And of note: Not only did Dave get the lawn mowed and looking great for the recent Chicken Hill event. He also took down a dangerous, leaning tree on the property. We are highly appreciative of his generous work for the Friends of the Greenway and the Trust!
Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn is our Trail booster! Kara can be found running on the Greenway, picking up litter on the Greenway, and ‘talking up’ the Greenway with her constituents. We thank Kara for her support!
And, we would like to recognize a special donor to the Greenway:
Emerald Magic Lawn Care’s horticultural consultant, Craig den Hartog has been providing flower bulbs for the Greenway for many years at “no cost.” We planted a big bulk of these bulbs at the kiosk on Gnarled Hollow Road, Setauket.
Craig’s generosity is part of his beautification effort known as Old Town Blooms. And, Craig was a driving force behind the recent Great Daffodil Dash benefiting the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville community! Why not support Emerald Magic who supports us!
www.EmeraldMagic.com
631-286-4600
631-804-9205
194-4 Morris Ave
Holtsville, NY 11742
Want to help the Friends of the Greenway? Here are three ways:
A. Become a member of the Three Village Community Trust! Join by clicking here!
B. Go to threevillagecommunitytrust.com and donate during our parent organization’s $50,000 Maria Hoffman Challenge Grant. The kick-off for the matching challenge is in October.
C. This really Helps: Please consider the “Care to Share Program” at Investors Bank on Route 25A in Setauket. If you have an existing or newly established account at Investors Bank, simply by designating the Three Village Community Trust as your favorite not-for-profit, we will receive regular donations from Investors Bank to our organization!
Editor-in-Chief: Herb Mones
