Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center Executive Director Simon Solomon officially left the organization on Friday, August 26. Solomon will be now be working for the Central New York Land Trust in Skaneateles, and continuing to protect New York's natural environment. (Submitted photo)

SHERBURNE — The Friends of Rogers Center Board of Directors, staff, and members of the community gathered at the Rogers Environmental Education Center on Friday, August 26 to say goodbye to Simon Solomon, who has served as the organization's executive director for nearly ten years.

Board members and staff shared kind words about Solomon and the work he's done at the center over the years, as did the Sherburne Rotary, which Solomon has been a member of for several years.

"I have had the privilege of working with Simon for about three and a half years now. I have watched this man manage staff, visitors, the DEC, camp counselors, and kids, and handle it all with ease. He is as cool as a cucumber and one of the kindest people that I know, and I knew that I could trust his judgment and honesty because we shared the common goal of bettering Friends of Rogers," said Friends of Rogers Director of Development Heather Tehan. "His work is evident all around us here at Rogers Center and I know that he won’t be a stranger and he’ll be back to visit us when he can."

The board also honored Solomon by placing a plaque in the newly remodeled visitors center at Rogers, recognizing Solomon as the first Friends of Rogers Executive Director.

Solomon will be moving on to the Central New York Land Trust, an environmental group that aims to keep New York's green space open and accessible to the public.

"Part of their mission is to secure and restore not only the Skaneateles Watershed, but properties throughout Central New York to kind of keep open green spaces open and green rather than having corporations building on them, and to kind of provide opportunities for individuals to get out on some of these properties that have been donated to the land trust for opportunities to get out and hike and kind of explore nature on," said Solomon.

According to Solomon, about 51 properties and 3,000 acres of land are currently managed under the land trust.

"We’re all going to miss Simon. We’re very sad that he’s leaving, but we’re happy for him in his career move to the Central New York Land Trust, and Simon is going to continue doing the work of protecting lands and things like that, so we’re all for it," said Tehan.

Reflecting on his time at Rogers Center, Solomon called his departure "bittersweet," and spoke to the caliber of board members, interns, staff, and community members who have worked together to support the center.

A favorite part of his time at Rogers was holding the annual summer camp, and seeing interns grow and experience "the Rogers way."

"I walked into a smaller size summer camp program that we’ve been able to expand upon over the years, becoming health department certified and really having a lot of solid staff come through and run the programs," said Solomon.

"Going in day in and day out it’s really good to see the quality interns that we’ve had that have worked for us, that are really the ones pulling off a lot of the programs that we’ve run," he continued. "I see success as interns or staff that have started off somewhat young and maybe inexperienced, and then walking away having experienced the Rogers way and just coming out solid at the end of the day."

Friends of Rogers Environmental Center is now on the hunt for a new executive director, and in the meantime the board has appointed Tehan as interim executive director.

"The board asked me and appointed me to take the interim executive director position while they open the application process to the public, and it is an open application process, so we’ll just see how that ends up," she said. "So in the meantime I’ll be doing that and the development. So it’s a lot, but I’m up for the challenge."

The Rogers Environmental Education Center visitors center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Wednesday through Saturday, and trail systems are open from dawn to dusk daily. Restrooms are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"My time spent at the Rogers Center has been absolutely, 100 percent a wonderful experience for both my family and I. The Rogers spirit is alive and well, and I just hope that we can continue the tradition of environmental education through Chenango County and beyond with the Rogers Center kind of spearheading that," said Solomon. "I look forward to seeing the Rogers Center open and accessible to the public for years to come."

More information on the Rogers Environmental Education Center can be found at FriendsofRogers.org and on the Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc. Facebook page.