Henrietta Foundation > FOUNDATION NEWS

Foundation News

United Way Day of Caring—May 11, 2011

NYS Pollution Prevention Institute and Waste Management Team Up with HFI
Three cheers for NYSP2I and Waste Management employees for teaming up with HFI to beautify the Lehigh Valley Trail and Executive South on the United Way's Day of Caring.

Nineteen volunteers came out to work hard in support of the Foundation's mission to preserve and protect Henrietta's scenic, natural, and recreational resources. Together we make a great team!
Visit our

page for more information.

Help Kids Play Golf Raffle Winner, 2011

Tim Ochs is the lucky Grand Prize winner of our "Help Kids Play Golf" raffle. Tim won two tickets to the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club. Presenting the tickets to Tim (center) are Henrietta Foundation President Bud Snyder and Ann Guiberson, Director, Regional Affairs, East and Great Lakes Region.
Tim and his wife are planning to make the trip to the Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C., to enjoy the Open.
Congratulations to all our raffle winners, and thanks to all who purchased tickets to help our community's kids play golf.

Trail and Garden Clean-Up Day April 30, 2011

Nearly 50 volunteers ages 8 to 70+ came out to the Trail to clean up the parking lot, garden, hedgerows, and trailside on a gorgeous Saturday morning. Where did they come from? They were folks who use the trail every day, neighbors of the trail, Boy Scout Troop 750 and their families, kids doing community service projects for school, Henrietta Garden Club and Henrietta Foundation volunteers.

Volunteers pulled out trailside eye sores such as 6 refrigerators and a few cars that had been abandoned along the rail line. Boy Scouts worked feverishly cutting out invasive trees from the parking lot and along the trail. All the piles of trash, metal, and brush will be picked up by the Town of Henrietta and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
We would like to thank Terry Tree Service for donating 10 yards of bark mulch and Gro-Moore Farms for donating new bedding plants for our public garden.
We, and all who use the trail owe a huge debt of gratitude to all who participated in this true community endeavor! Great job!
Visit our

page to view more photos of Trail and Garden Clean-Up Day.

Rochester Golf Show News - Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Eighteen foundation volunteers staffed our booth at the Rochester Golf Show February 11th through 13th. Together they sold over $1,200 in raffle tickets to benefit the foundation and its Help Kids Play Golf program. Total overall sales to date exceed $1,600. This is fantastic! Thanks to everyone who bought and sold tickets!

Raffle sales continue until April 15th. If you know of an opportunity where we can make a presentation, please let us know.

Trail and Garden Clean-Up Days—Fall 2010

We have the Henrietta Garden Club, Boy Scout Troop 750, and other Henrietta Foundation members to thank for sprucing up the Trail Garden and the Trail this fall. They did yeoman's work on two cold days trimming back weeds and brush and manicuring the trail for the public's use. We can't thank these folks enough for being involved in making the trail such a clean and user-friendly greenspace. Thank you for all your hard work!

Trail Clean-Up Day—April 17, 2010
Thank you so much to Boy Scout Troops 750, 350, and 401, Cub Scout Pack 342, members of the Henrietta Foundation, and all the community members who helped with the Lehigh Valley Trail clean-up on April 17. Users of the trail expressed their gratitude and were impressed at the dedication and hard work of all the participants.

Troop 750 also put up some wonderful bluebird houses. They will certainly have an important environmental impact on the trail.

This is our community and the trail is an important part of it. Thanks for taking the responsibility for keeping our trail in good condition. Your cooperation and dedication are commendable.

Eagle Scout Project—November 7, 2009

Scout Zach Cedruly tackled a worthy project to earn his Eagle Scout status by installing mileage posts along the North Branch of the Lehigh Station Trail. He and his team have done a great service toward improving our trail. Hikers and bicyclists alike appreciate knowing just how far they've traveled. Great work, Zach!

Trail Clean-Up Days—November 7 and 14, 2009
The November Trail and Garden Clean-Up Days were a tremendous success. Thanks to the energy and dedication of more than 20 people, including Boy Scout Troop 750, Rush-Henrietta Opticians, members of the Henrietta Garden Club and the Henrietta Foundation. The teams worked hard for 3 solid hours each day cutting back brush, cleaning up litter, and cutting down the flower garden to prepare it for its winter rest.

A HUGE thanks goes out to: Nate Bellauta; Brian and Greg Bischoping; Wade Bittle; Jared and Steve Brewster; Zach Cedreuly; Kathy Crassi; Griffin Deeter; Kate, Nate and Gene Gillan; Zac Horton; Dan and Caleb Klaver; Karen Lankeshofer; Steve and Steven Mahar; Dan Nistico; Eric P.; John and Jane Schmidt; and Steven Stappenbeck. Also, thanks to Dot Clause, Wendy Dakin, George Miller, Janice Pryll, Bill Shattuck, and the Henrietta Garden Club. And finally, thanks also to all family members and friends who forgot to sign in.

Trail Garden Clean-Up and Planting Day—May 16, 2009

Members of the Henrietta Foundation and the Henrietta Garden Club teamed up on Saturday morning, May 16, to weed, plant, and mulch the public garden at the Lehigh Valley Trail's parking lot on East Henrietta Road. This is the second year that the Foundation and Garden Club have collaborated on the garden beautification project.
Although the weather Saturday morning was questionable, nine energetic volunteers arrived at 9:00 am with trowels in hand and wheelbarrows in tow to make the garden ready for the spring traffic on the trail.
Terry Tree Service donated 10 yards of premium mulch to the project.
The thunderstorms held off long enough for the team of volunteers to complete the job. As the rains came,the team headed to Read's Ice Cream on East Henrietta Road to celebrate a job well done for the community.
Participants from the Henrietta Foundation included Dot Clause, garden chairperson; Paul Davis, vice president; Elizabeth Thomson, secretary; Bill Dykstra, project director; Bill Shattuck, and Ann Stevens. Volunteers from the Henrietta Garden Club included Wendy Dakin; George Miller, garden club vice president; and Janice Pryll. Foundation members Dot Clause and Elizabeth Thomson are also members of the garden club.
If you would like to volunteer with the garden, call Dot Clause at 334-7020 or e-mail her at trailgardeners@henriettafoundation.org.

Canandaigua National Bank Awards $1,500 Grant—March 27, 2009

Canandaigua National Bank and Trust awarded the Foundation a grant for $1,500 to be used towards youth-based educational programs at Executive South. We are grateful for CNB's very generous support of our community and the Foundation. We are pleased to welcome the bank to Henrietta and to have them as a partner!

Henrietta Named a Green Community by Audubon International—November 19, 2008
The Henrietta Foundation is proud to be part of the reason why the Town of Henrietta has been given a Green Community Award from Audubon International. The Foundation was cited for its work maintaining the Lehigh Valley Trail. Henrietta is the first town in New York state to have won this award celebrating sustainability practices. Other award winners are Spruce Peak, VA and Sarasota County, FL.

USGA Awards $5,000 Grant to Executive South—September 29, 2008

Through its generous gift of $5,000, the U.S. Golf Association is making it possible for 1,500 youngsters to learn the game of golf and its inherent values at Executive South. The grant will be used to support the golf center's junior golf programs and the course's maintenance. USGA President Jim Vernon said, "The program serves as a prime example of a community committed to making the game affordable and accessible for youth. The USGA is proud to have a helping hand in making that possible." Thank you USGA!

Trail Garden Restored—August 2, 2008
Twelve volunteers gathered on August 2nd to weed, mulch and plant the public garden that had fallen into disrepair at the Lehigh Valley trailhead parking lot on East Henrietta Road. From 9 am until thunder, lightning, and hail shut them down at 2:30 pm, workers of all ages tugged weeds and carefully planted deer-proof plants, bedding them down with 15 yards of premium mulch donated by Terry Tree Service . Our thanks go out in particular to Terry Tree and George Miller of the Henrietta Garden Club for helping make this a true community effort.

Pedallers Bike Shop Donates Rack—April 1, 2008

Pedallers Bike Shop (2511 East Henrietta Road) saw a need and filled it, donating a bike rack to the Foundation's headquarters at Executive South Family Golf Center. Now folks can pedal up to the golf course, lock up their bikes, and hit a few balls on the driving range, play a whole 9-hole game, or just take a brake from a long ride and stop in for a meal at the snack bar. How's that for a full-service recreational experience!

Golf Course Manager Bill Dykstra (right) and all of us at HFI appreciate Pedallers' community spirit. Thanks to Bob DeRoo (left) for his generous donation.

Kwanzan Cherry Trees Dedicated To John and Marion Remelt—November 25, 2007

On Sunday, November 25th, two Kwanzan cherry trees were dedicated in memory of Marion Heffer Remelt and in honor of John Doran Remelt, owners of Remelts' Evergreen Acres in West Henrietta. The ornamental trees located at the LVRR Trail's East Henrietta Road parking lot were dedicated in recognition of the Remelts' lifetime of dedication toward land stewardship in West Henrietta and Rush. Throughout their lives, the Remelts have owned and farmed vast acres of land in the two towns. Attending the dedication were John D. Remelt (second from right), his daughter Kate Remelt Callahan (center), her husband Mike Callahan (left), John's son, Charlie Remelt (not pictured), and Ann Stevens representing the Foundation. You may download a pdf of the dedication speech to learn more about John and Marion's contributions to our region.

Third Annual Trail Clean-Up Day 2008—Saturday, November 10, 2007

A team of eight hard-working volunteers got together to clean up the East Henrietta Road parking area on Saturday, November 10th. The group picked up litter, weeded the flower bed, planted 100 daffodil bulbs, and cleaned up the kiosk. Brush was trimmed from the trail and the bluebird houses were cleaned out, making them ready for next year's residents. Thanks to Wade Bittle, Karen Lankeshofer, Rich Roe, John and Jane Schmitt, Hans Schwarz, Bill Shattuck, and Ann Stevens for making our trail more beautiful for the public. Here, volunteer and Foundation Treasurer John Schmitt shows his bounty of weeds pulled.

HFI President Bud Snyder Wins Henrietta Chamber of Commerce Award—Wednesday, May 9, 2007

HFI's own R. Bud Snyder received this year's Community Service Award from the Henrietta Chamber of Commerce's 21st Annual Community of Excellence Awards Dinner on May 9. This award recognizes Bud for his years of service to the Henrietta community through his work with the Foundation, Town Conservation Board, and United Way, among other organizations. We are proud that Bud has been recognized publicly for his dedication and tireless efforts on the Foundation's behalf. There is no doubt that he has made Henrietta a better place to live.

New Adopt-A-Trail Sponsor—Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Many thanks to Ron Brancato, who has recently become an Adopt-A-Trail sponsor. In addition to Ron, the Sutter's Crossing Property Owners Association also sponsors a section of trail. We are grateful to both Ron and Sutter's Crossing for all the work they do to keep their sections in tip top shape for everyone to enjoy. It's a great public service.

New Housing for Bluebirds on the Trail—Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Thanks to Don Tobey, Wade Bittle, and Boy Scout Troop 332, 24 new bluebird houses are being installed along the trail just in time for the birds to set up housekeeping this spring. Keep an eye out for new residents, but please, do not disturb!

Henrietta Foundation Receives Grant from New York State Environmental Protection Fund—October 2006

In October 2006, the State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation awarded the Henrietta Foundation a grant of $300,000 from the 2006 Environmental Protection Fund to be used towards the purchase of the Executive South Family Golf and Recreation Center. This grant must be matched with equal funds raised from other sources to complete the purchase of the property. Executive South will function not only as a community recreation facility, but also as the Foundation's headquarters. Many thanks to Project Director Bill Dykstra and Charles Lookup, who together were responsible for writing the winning grant amid a very competitive field of applicants.

Second Annual Fall Clean-Up Day—November 4, 2006

Our second annual Trail Clean-Up Day was held Saturday, November 4, 2006. A group of about 14 dedicated volunteers cut back brush on a section northwest of East Henrietta Road. Many thanks to all those who participated, including Wade Bittle, Paul Davis, Chris Fay, Karen Lankeshofer, the Town of Henrietta's Chuck Marshall, Joan Miller, John and Jane Schmitt, Bill Shattuck, Richard Spring, and Ann Stevens.

First Fall Clean-Up Day—November 12, 2005

The Henrietta Foundation held its first Trail Clean-Up Day on November 12, 2005. A healthy crew of eager volunteers came to help cut back brush, pick up litter, and clear limbs from the trail.

Henrietta Branch of the Lehigh Valley Trail Ribbon Cutting Ceremony—November 9, 2004

An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the trail on November 9, 2004.

Lehigh Valley Trail Groundbreaking Ceremony—March 2004

To read about the official groundbreaking of the trail in March 2004, click here.