Recent News Items

2008 Fun Run Results

Here are the complete results of last Fall's Fun Run and Trail Run:

5K Trail Run
Place	Name	Finish Time
Female Champion	Sherry Diaz	27:47
Male Champion	Dario Cantatore	20:43
Female 40-59	Patrice Barry	33:17
Male Under 13	Ezra Oliff-Lieberman	31:25
Male 18-39	Lyron Bentovim	28:39
Male 40-59	Len Cottrell	21:27
1-Mile Trail Fun Run
Place	Name	Finish Time
Female Champion	Maya Bentovim	11:15
Male Champion	Ethan Coy	7:49
Female 9-12	Irene Lourbas	13:16
Female 40-59	Teddy Lourbas	13:38
Male Under 9	Tay Akdag	8:34
Male 9-12	Kyle Barry	8:15

Skate Party!

(February 1, 2009) Music, hot chocolate, and donuts marked a festive day skating at the pond. You can download a high-resolution video of the party below, or watch the embedded video.

DNCA Skate Party (Quicktime, 40 MB)

Fun Run Results

(October 2, 2007) Demarest has some speedy children, judging from the fast times recorded on Sept. 15 in the Demarest Nature Center's 1-mile Trail Fun Run and the 5-kilometer Trail Run. Both events were held on new courses that were more on the nature center trails and less on the park roads than in past years.

In the Fun Run, 8-year-old Kaileigh Conti was the overall female winner, followed by 6-year-old Taylan Akdag and 7-year-old Sophie Winters. Sophie had such a good time in the 1-mile event that she decided to try out the 5K (3.1-mile) Trail Run afterward. She wound up as the first female finisher and second overall out of five 5K competitors. She ran both races with her mother, Nancy.

I-Shang Chow was the first male winner in the fun run, while Tom Birch was the first male finisher in the 5K. If there had been a special award for family participation, it would have gone to the Lourbas family, which had four runners: Dimitri, Teddy, Irene, and Alex, who is just 4 years old.

Finishing times were slower than in a road race because runners had to make lots of sharp turns, pick their way over roots and rocks, and run gingerly over wooden bridges made slick by rain. Each age-group winner received a trophy and each participant received a handsome green ribbon.

Here are the complete results:

5K Trail Run
Place	Name	Finish Time
1	Tom Birch	28:40
2	Sophie Winters	31:27
3	Nancy Winters	31:28
4	Irfan Akdag	31:30
5	Antje Hennings	33:41
1-Mile Trail Fun Run
Place	Name	Finish Time
1	I-Shang Chow	8:50
2	Kaileigh Conti	8:56
3	Taylan Akdag	9:29
4	Sophie Winters	9:31
5	Nancy Winters	9:32
6	Matthew Conti	10:25
7	Alina Chow	10:50
8	Dimitri Lourbas	11:10
9	Irene Lourbas	18:01
10	Alex Lourbas	18:31
11	Teddy Lourbas	18:47

Camp Lots of Fun a Success

(August 20, 2007) As part of its ongoing commitment to nature education, the Demarest Nature Center sponsored naturalist Marc Gussen's "Nature Walk & Talk" in the Closter Nature Center for the kids at "Camp Lots of Fun" of the Interreligious Fellowship of Bergen County. The kids not only hiked the trails in the beautiful woods of the Closter Nature Center but also learned about the Lenne Lenape Indians who were indigenous in our area before it was settled by the Europeans.

2007 Demarest Nature Center Assocation's
Environmental Studies Scholarship

The Demarest Nature Center Association is offering a $1000 scholarship to assist a graduating senior pursuing study of, or related to, the environment.

The requirements are:

The applicant must be a high school senior and either a resident of Demarest, NJ, or a current member of the Demarest Nature Center, or attending either Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest or the Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest.

The applicant must be planning to attend an educational institution in the coming school year (2007/2008) pursuing environmental studies or a similar program such as one involving habitat conservation, natural resource management, preservation and protection of nature and/or education of the public concerning such subjects.

Applications should include:

1. The student's name and complete contact information.
2. The name of the high school and guidance counselor contact information.
3. A copy of the student's current high school transcripts.
4. A copy of the Letter of Acceptance from the college or university where the applicant will be (or is considering) attending classes for the fall semester.
5. A 150 word essay (written by the applicant) discussing the reasons why he or she should receive the Scholarship.

Applications should be postmarked no later than MAY 1, 2007 and mailed to:

SCHOLARSHIP
C/O Demarest Nature Center Association
PO Box 41
Demarest, NJ 07627

The winner's school will be notified by June 1, 2007 and the award will be presented at the applicant's year end awards assembly.

Thanks for Making 2006 Oktoberfest a Big Success

Our sincere thanks to the many people who made our annual fund-raising event, the Craft Fair at Oktoberfest, a big success. Thanks to the Demarest police, fire, and public works departments, mayor, and council; the Korean WomenÕs PTO; and the United Methodist Church. Thanks to everyone who baked goodies for the bake table and those who volunteered to help at the event.

Thanks also to the following donors of items for auction:

In Closter, A&P, Brilliant Touch Jewelry, Callahan Jewelers, Clearview Cinema, CORE (Northern Valley Fitness Center), Hallmark Card Shop, Homewares, Maxfit, Nu Moda Salon, RudyÕs Pizza, Stop & Shop, Tiger Kim, Xocolate. In Cresskill, City & Country Specialty Housewares, Fuel Fitness Center, Golden Garden Chinese Restaurant, PaulÕs House of Fish.

In Demarest, Demarest Wines and Liquors, Ed Kabakow. In Haworth, Haworth Apothecary.

In Tenafly, Benjamin Brothers, Cafˇ Savoy, Clearview Cinema, Tenafly Auto Repair.

To all, many thanks.

Scholarships Awarded

(July 2006)Two environmental studies scholarships have been awarded:

Michael Lester who will study Wildlife Biology at the University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.

Jessica Redisch who will study Landscape Architecture at the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Thanks for Adopting Our Trails

(updated February 2007)Several community-spirited organizations—and families—have adopted trails in the nature center. They pick up litter, remove small branches, and mark the edges of the trails using downed limbs. Any organization, family or individual interested in adopting a trail should call Kevin at 201-767-7054.

Sponsors:
Nine Bridges Trail - Demarest Cub Scout Troop 270
Gus Stumpp Trail - Demarest Boy Scout Troop 101
Log Road Trail - Northern Valley R.H.S. Earth Club
Tenakill Brook Trail - Demarest Girl Scouts
D Loop - Demarest Girl Scouts
Connecting Trails - Kevin Riley
Stelfox and Dogwood Trails - The Endick Family
Connecting Trails - Riley/Stern Family
Trestle Bridge Trail - Unsponsored

Commemorative Benches

(February 2006 revised July 2006) The Demarest Nature Center continues to install commemorative benches at scenic spots throughout the nature center, a project started in 2003. These handsome benches are made possible by $1,000 donations honoring those who have held the nature center dear to their hearts. Thanks to all!

Honoree	Donor	Location
Carol Roa	The Maluchnik Family and Friends	Nine Bridges Trail
Luther Lee Emerson	Demarest Nature Center	Emerson Meadow
Linda Kretschmer	Klaus Kretschmer	Log Road Trail
Joseph Ringelstein	Leslie Schmidt	Tenakill Brook Trail
Robin and Floyd Fabian	Mildred Singer	Log Road Trail
Gus Stumpp	Sue Anderson Stumpp and Mark Wright	Gus Stumpp Trail
John Goodwin	Demarest Nature Center	Nine Bridges Trail
Dave Emerson	Demarest Nature Center	Nine Bridges Trail
Demarest Centennial	Demarest Borough Council	Skating Pond
Geneva Emerson	The Fritz Dietl Family	West Meadow
Geneva Emerson	Emerson Family	West Meadow
Rosalie and Mario DiGia	The DiGia Children	D Trail