TEATOWN HOSTS 70 VOLUNTEERS

FROM MASTERCARD’S WESTCHESTER COUNTY HEADQUARTERS

WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEER NEW YORK!

 

On Thursday, June 26, 2014, 70 summer interns from MasterCard’s Westchester headquarters will volunteer at Teatown Lake Reservation and take on a number of expansive projects on the preserve. Volunteers will tackle key projects on the grounds, helping Teatown to positively impact a community of over 20,000 adults and children that participate in their programs annually. This endeavor is made possible through a partnership between MasterCard, Volunteer New York! and Teatown. 

Teatown is a leading environmental education organization in the lower Hudson Valley managing a 1,000 acre preserve.  Volunteers play a critical role at Teatown ensuring that the environment is preserved and restored and that the 15 miles of trails that serve 10,000 hikers in the community each year are safely maintained. MasterCard’s commitment to community service extends beyond their full time employees to include its summer interns to ensure that everyone engages in a culture of giving back.

Volunteer projects that will take place at Teatown that day include deconstructing an old bridge and constructing a wetlands crossing to prepare the area for future construction, construction and installation of new benches at Teatown’s outdoor classroom, construction of new picnic tables, installation water bars and checking dams to control erosion, disassembly of damaged outdoor stairways, installation of new plantings to reduce erosion and naturalize the area and upkeep of Wildflower Woods, a three-acre fenced in education facility, which demonstrates how forests can regain their health through restoration, stewardship and conservation.

 

Teatown’s Executive Director, Kevin Carter said, “It is an honor to host such a large group of committed volunteers from MasterCard who are willing to donate their time to Teatown to make a significant impact on our 1,000 acre preserve.  MasterCard is such a well-respected corporation in Westchester County and it is a credit to the company that they will organize volunteer opportunities for their summer interns to participate in a shared experience and give back in the community.  We thank them for generously donating their time to us and for all of the many projects they will move forward on our property that day.” 

“Westchester has been our corporate home for nearly two decades,” said Charlie Hall, senior vice president, global talent acquisition at MasterCard.  “Supporting programs like these help reinforce how we can make a difference in the local community, both as an organization and as individuals.”

 

Teatown Lake Reservation, an environmental education organization with a 1,000-acre private, not-for-profit nature preserve in Westchester County, is one of the largest and most active environmental education centers in the region.  Teatown impacts more than 20,000 adults and children every year.  In addition to its full schedule of year-round programs and nature-focused summer camp, Teatown maintains more than 15 miles of hiking trails for 10,000 annual hikers.  It has grown continuously since it was established on 194 acres in 1963, more than 50 years ago.  More information about Teatown is at www.teatown.org.

 

The mission of Volunteer New York! is to inspire, mobilize and equip individuals and groups to take positive action to address pressing challenges, support nonprofits, and strengthen the quality of life in our community.  We serve Westchester County, Putnam County, Rockland County, Dutchess County, Orange County, Ulster County and Sullivan County. Our online directory includes over 700 active volunteer opportunities from 500 nonprofit organizations. More information about Volunteer New York! can be found at www.volunteernewyork.org.

By: Anthony