Volunteer Appreciation Day!

The Forest Society celebrated our many wonderful volunteers last week on a beautiful summer-like October day.  Dave Anderson, Senior Director of Education, led a guided hike to the top of Sunset Hill on the Hay Forest Reservation, with the help of Recreation & Community Relations Manager Matt Scaccia.  

The group trekked through peak foliage, learning about the land use and natural history of the Hay Reservation.  At the summit, Dave read some passages from the writings of John Hay, the naturalist and poet who was the grandson of John Milton Hay and whose parents, Clarence and Alice Hay, donated the Hay Reservation to the Forest Society.  All enjoyed the view of Lake Sunapee and Mount Sunapee from the summit before returning to the trailhead.

Following the hike, volunteers and staff shared a meal of hearty homemade soups, bread, and salad at the Fells Historic Estate & Gardens, which is directly adjacent to the Hay Reservation.  The Fells has a beautiful new open air pavilion facility which allowed the group to enjoy food and good company while also keeping social distancing and COVID safety in mind.  The mild weather and warm fall sunlight made for a very pleasant afternoon to say "thank you" for all of the hard work our volunteers have done over the past year.