Rogers Center celebrates 40 years
By Katherine Waters
Sun Staff Intern
SHERBURNE – Since the cost of traveling has increased, more and more people have been choosing to remain at home for their vacations this summer.
This does not mean, however, that the summer will be dull. In fact, it could be a time to explore the resources that can be found in Chenango County.
One such resource to explore is the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne that will be celebrating their 40th anniversary June 14. Marsha Guzewich, the Director of Rogers, invites everyone in the community to join in the festivities Saturday.
The anniversary celebrates the opening of the main environmental education building on June 10, 1968. The staff will be joined by the first Director John Weeks and members of the Friends of Rogers.
The festivities will begin with a presentation on “where we came from and where we are today,” said Guzewich. The staff will then invite the public to join in some fun activities including; canoeing, kayaking, aqua ecology and owl pellet dissection. There will also be locally produced refreshments available.
The Rogers Center began as a game farm, developed by Henry Rogers in 1909. The 600 acres that make up the Rogers Center was the first game farm in New York State. It was used as a picnic area, a place to spend time with family as well as for hunting pheasants.
Guzewich explained few people know the Rogers Center’s 600 acres are actually split into four separate parcels of land, each having its own unique purpose to the original game farm. In the late 1960s, the game farm was scheduled to close. However, the community felt that Rogers was far too important to be shut down. The Nature Center’s division of the National Audobon Nature Society was called to research the possibility of creating an educational center. The local Rotary Club was able to take the research and convince the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to keep the game farm land but develop it into what it is today.
On June 10, 1968, the first Education Center was built. The Visitor Center, Adams Farm and Cush Hill sites all originally held animals. Now each site has a set of trails which can be used by the public from sun up to sun down.
The Boyce Cottage site was originally farm land used to grow food for the animals caged at the game farm. It has remained a farming area, which the Friends of Rogers are able to rent when needed.
“There was a philosophical decision to get away from caged animals,” said Guzewich about the transition from game farm to education center. Rogers Center is still filled with animals which the public can see “if you are quiet and look for signs,” she said. Rogers Center is much different then a game farm. “Creatures live here on their own free will,” said Guzewich, rather than being raised on site.
Today the Rogers Center has been able to provide programs for the public, school and youth groups as well as community groups through the help of the Friends of Rogers group. The Friends of Rogers, originally named the Mid-York Conservation Fund, is a support group made up entirely of community members. “The Friends of Rogers helps to tie the community to the center. The community is not required to support us, but they do,” said Guzewich. The Friends of Rogers are able to apply for grants that pay for exhibits and interns and supplement programs financially.
Currently the Rogers Center is starting to update buildings and facilities in the most “green” way possible. They will try to keep up with newer technologies, however, Guzewich believes that the purpose of the center is to bring people outdoors, rather than use computers. For the future, Guzewich said the center will “continue to do the work we do, connecting people to nature.”
“There is always the fear that today’s children will be more connected to television than nature,” said Guzewich. Although there has not been a decline in attendance to the center, Guzewich said, she still feels the need to push to get kids outside and in nature. The Rogers Center has continued to increase the amount of programs and outings they offer. Guzewich encourages everyone to sign up in advanced because spots fill up quickly. For more information on activities available in the summer call 674-4017 or visit the web site at www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html.
Sun Staff Intern
SHERBURNE – Since the cost of traveling has increased, more and more people have been choosing to remain at home for their vacations this summer.
This does not mean, however, that the summer will be dull. In fact, it could be a time to explore the resources that can be found in Chenango County.
One such resource to explore is the Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne that will be celebrating their 40th anniversary June 14. Marsha Guzewich, the Director of Rogers, invites everyone in the community to join in the festivities Saturday.
The anniversary celebrates the opening of the main environmental education building on June 10, 1968. The staff will be joined by the first Director John Weeks and members of the Friends of Rogers.
The festivities will begin with a presentation on “where we came from and where we are today,” said Guzewich. The staff will then invite the public to join in some fun activities including; canoeing, kayaking, aqua ecology and owl pellet dissection. There will also be locally produced refreshments available.
The Rogers Center began as a game farm, developed by Henry Rogers in 1909. The 600 acres that make up the Rogers Center was the first game farm in New York State. It was used as a picnic area, a place to spend time with family as well as for hunting pheasants.
Guzewich explained few people know the Rogers Center’s 600 acres are actually split into four separate parcels of land, each having its own unique purpose to the original game farm. In the late 1960s, the game farm was scheduled to close. However, the community felt that Rogers was far too important to be shut down. The Nature Center’s division of the National Audobon Nature Society was called to research the possibility of creating an educational center. The local Rotary Club was able to take the research and convince the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to keep the game farm land but develop it into what it is today.
On June 10, 1968, the first Education Center was built. The Visitor Center, Adams Farm and Cush Hill sites all originally held animals. Now each site has a set of trails which can be used by the public from sun up to sun down.
The Boyce Cottage site was originally farm land used to grow food for the animals caged at the game farm. It has remained a farming area, which the Friends of Rogers are able to rent when needed.
“There was a philosophical decision to get away from caged animals,” said Guzewich about the transition from game farm to education center. Rogers Center is still filled with animals which the public can see “if you are quiet and look for signs,” she said. Rogers Center is much different then a game farm. “Creatures live here on their own free will,” said Guzewich, rather than being raised on site.
Today the Rogers Center has been able to provide programs for the public, school and youth groups as well as community groups through the help of the Friends of Rogers group. The Friends of Rogers, originally named the Mid-York Conservation Fund, is a support group made up entirely of community members. “The Friends of Rogers helps to tie the community to the center. The community is not required to support us, but they do,” said Guzewich. The Friends of Rogers are able to apply for grants that pay for exhibits and interns and supplement programs financially.
Currently the Rogers Center is starting to update buildings and facilities in the most “green” way possible. They will try to keep up with newer technologies, however, Guzewich believes that the purpose of the center is to bring people outdoors, rather than use computers. For the future, Guzewich said the center will “continue to do the work we do, connecting people to nature.”
“There is always the fear that today’s children will be more connected to television than nature,” said Guzewich. Although there has not been a decline in attendance to the center, Guzewich said, she still feels the need to push to get kids outside and in nature. The Rogers Center has continued to increase the amount of programs and outings they offer. Guzewich encourages everyone to sign up in advanced because spots fill up quickly. For more information on activities available in the summer call 674-4017 or visit the web site at www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html.
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