The B-Team Community Science Project. (Photo Credit to Mark DiOrio of Colgate)

SHERBURNE — With support and funding from the NYS Park and Trail Partnership Grant and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund, Friends of Rogers are hiring a part-time Community Engagement Coordinator. Park and Trail Partnership Grants are administered by Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

“Behind many of our favorite outdoor experiences — hikes, picnics with our family, bike rides — there is a hard-working local organization making that experience possible. These amazing grassroots organizations do so much with elbow grease, expertise, and volunteerism ... but they also need the critical financial assistance our Park and Trail Partnership Grants provide,” said Paul Steely White, Parks & Trails New York Executive Director.

This two-year grant will fund a part-time position at Rogers Center, with the express purpose of reaching new and diverse audiences throughout Central New York. Furthermore, the position will be responsible for the increased cultivation and coordination of volunteers, harnessing the power of community connections to steward this generational asset, treasure, and resource.

“The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) supports the Friends of Rogers’ commitment to inspiring a more diverse conservation movement. We look forward to working together to enhance partnerships, increase community connections, and reach new audiences,” said Tom Shimalla, DEC Environmental Education Bureau Chief.

With the goal of enhancing partnerships with regional schools, universities, non-profits, and corporations, the Friends of Rogers will have increased staff capacity for the care and activation of Rogers Center lands, water, trails, and facilities.

“This position is intended to facilitate and empower the community to engage with Rogers in meaningful and experiential ways, and it has, at its core, the fundamental question - how can we incorporate diversity into everything that we do?” said David Carson, Executive Director for the Friends of Rogers.

Members of the public who are interested in the position can find more information at FriendsofRogers.org/getinvolved.

The mission of the Friends of Rogers is to provide outstanding educational opportunities that excite, inspire, and motivate people of all ages to enjoy, understand, appreciate, and protect our natural environment.

For more information, visit FriendsofRogers.org or the Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc. Facebook page.

-Information provided by Friends of Rogers