Wilton Newcomers Club gives a boost to Ambler Farm

The Wilton Newcomers Club recently donated $10,000 to the Friends of Ambler Farm. The club raised the money through two successful events during this past year: the sale of holiday ornaments featuring a hand-painted image of the Red Barn at Ambler Farm, and the art auction held at the Wilton Library in March. The donation will be used for educational programs for local schoolchildren and for new farm equipment, which will help the farm expand its agricultural capabilities.

This is the largest amount of money the Newcomers club has raised during any program year. Stephanie Mercado and Kelly Gervolino, WNC fund-raising chairs, organized both the ornament sale and the art auction this year.

Each year the club selects a local organization to benefit from its fund-raising efforts. The Wilton Newcomers Club is a nonprofit social organization that serves more than 200 families in town.

Golf by Ambler

On Monday, May, 19, the sun shone, somewhat intermittently, on Rolling Hills Country Club on Hurlbutt Street for the golfers who participated in a fundraising golf event to benefit Ambler Farm. Many thanks are due to the board of governors of Rolling Hills Country Club who donated the use of the course for the day to Friends of Ambler Farm. We are also grateful to the staff members of the club, and all the local businesses and individuals who donated prizes for both golfing skills and scores, in addition to a most successful raffle.

Such local support enables us to keep Wilton's agrarian roots alive among the community.

JON BELL, DIANE FOGERTY, KIM FORTUNA, DEBBIE LAFOND, ALISON SEMPLE, BONNIE SHEEHAN
Golf Event Committee
Friends of Ambler Farm Hurlbutt Street, May 2

Kevin Meehan: A Man of Many Hats

Photo By: Carolyn Rundle Field

By Carolyn Rundle Field, May 16, 2008

Kevin Meehan is a man who can multi-task. How else to explain his ability to serve as the Cider Mill science instructional leader, run an afterschool science club, oversee the school’s independent summer course program attracting over 1,000 kids each year, and in his role as Ambler Farm’s property and program manager-in-residence, lead a summer student apprentice program, organize a maple sugaring program, and shoulder much of the behind-the-scenes preparations for the annual Ambler Farm Day celebration? And, after all that, he still has enough energy at the end of his day to repair a crumbling stone wall or a barn door hinge; plus, with his wife Susan, raise two young children and two dogs.

Read more at Wilton Magazine

Bees at the Farm

Kevin Meehan and Ben Saunders installed four bee hives near the old sunflower garden this afternoon. Several friends joined us to watch the installation - and we even have a few adult "apprentices" lined up to help maintain the hives. In addition to honey production, the bees and hives will be used for educational programs.