SHERBURNE – Friends of Rogers joins Cornell Cooperative Extension in presenting a Master Forest Owners Refresher Workshop Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which means there will be a lot of new faces at Rogers Center this weekend. Twenty people have already signed up and the event represents the potential start of a collaboration between the Extension and Friends of Rogers.
The workshop will touch on a variety of useful things including a segment on dealing with feral pigs. Feral pigs have grown into a systemic problem for farmers and gardeners alike, as the rampant piggies get into crops and vegetable patches pigging out on their
contents, Extension experts say.
Since the state cut funding to the Rogers Conservation Center, it has remained operational due to the efforts of the Friends, a volunteer group reliant on the support of the community. The DEC still retains a presence at the park and takes care of some of the trail work which can’t be accomplished by volunteers. The rest of the Rogers operation, such as the events, general upkeep, as well as the bills, are all handled by Friends of Rogers. “We have been able to keep the park open because we have a good group of volunteers and a good board of directors,” said Cara Sefchick, the last of Rogers’ full timers.
Last Wednesday evening, the event center’s parking lot was especially busy. “We’ve been hosting the bird club every Wednesday and it’s been getting fairly popular,” said Sefchick, who along with the rest of the Friends of Rogers has being working tirelessly to get the park back on its feet. “The state cuts have been tough; we have had to do things we have never done before like figure out how to pay the utility bills with a shrunken budget,” she said.
Sefchick is optimistic about the success of this weekend’s event. “I think it is going to be a great program. We are all looking forward to it, and hopefully it will mark the beginning of a mutually benefical relationship with Cornell Cooperative.” The workshop is part of an effort to diversify the programs Rogers has to offer the public. Although the center can no longer afford to offer some of the programs it did under a state-funded budget, they have already hosted three events this month. Aside from the workshop this weekend, the center will be hosting another three events before the end of October. “Plant Ecology Research in a Human-Dominated World” will feature guest speaker Sara Scanga on the 17th, then on the 20th, Friends of Rogers will be inviting people to celebrate the beauty of fall with the Family Fun Program, Autumn Creations. Finally on the 29th, they will host a walk under the stars during the Full Moon Membership Night.
Rogers is also gearing up for its Winter Living Festival, which celebrates the winter season. “It gives people the opportunity to get outside during the winter. We have all sorts of fun things for people to do,” said Sefchick. The Winter Living program includes many different kinds of activities such as snow shoeing, and sled dog demonstrations as well as rides.
For more information, call 674-4733.