Environmental Studies Scholarship

(January 2006) The Demarest Nature Center Association is offering a $1000 scholarship to assist graduating seniors 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 (2006/2007) 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, 2006 and mailed to:
SCHOLARSHIP
C/O Demarest Nature Center Association
PO Box 41
Demarest, NJ 07627

The winner will be notified by June 1, 2006 and the award will be presented at the applicant's year end awards assembly.

2005 Oktoberfest Cancelled Due to Rain

(October 2005) For the first time in the more than 30 year history of the Demarest Nature Center, its fund raising fall festival, known in recent years as the Oktoberfest, was cancelled due to rain. The rain date has only been utilized once before, amd never before has a continuous week of rain forced a cancellation. DNCA President Richard Van Buren announced the cancellation with regret and with the hope that better weather will prevail for the next Oktoberfest, scheduled for October 14, 2006. "We are looking forward to a great 2006 Oktoberfest, and hope everyone will put it on their calendars now and come out for a great event!" he says.

Fun Run and Race Results for 2005

(May 2005) Congratulations to Eric Geider for winning the Demarest Nature Center Fun Run on Saturday, May 7. Eric completed the one-mile race on the nature center trails in a speedy 7 minutes, 13 seconds. Andrew Pirie came in second, Ethan Coy third, Kieran Desai fourth, and Benjamin Feldman fifth. Also, congratulations to Chloe Stein for being the only student to take on the challenge of the tough 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) cross country course. She ran the distance in 36 minutes, 19 seconds.

Charlie Redmond, 56, won the cross country race in 23 minutes, 16 seconds, defeating second place Tom Birch, who ran 24:50. In a close race for first female, Stephane Zavidow won in 25:06, beating Dawn Geider by 15 seconds.

Here are the complete results:

Oktoberfest 2004

(January 2005) The photos of last year's Oktoberfest are finally online! Click on an image below to bring up a larger version.

The Demarest Nature Center Association thanks all those who helped in so many ways to make the 2004 Oktoberfest such a success.

A&P of Closter, Benjamin Brothers Hardware, Boy Scout Troop 101, Cafe Savoy of Tenafly, Callahan Jewelers, Closter Clearview Cinema, CoCo Nails, Demarest Deli, Demarest Dunkin Donuts, Demarest Liquor Store, Demarest Police Department, Haworth Pharmacy, Korean Women of Demarest, Pawsabilities, Pizza Express of Demarest, Shaefer's Gardens, Tenafly Camera, Tenafly Pizza, United Methodist Church at Demarest, Willow Run, Closter Golf, Tenafly Clearview Cinemas, St. Michael's Bakery, King's Supermarket, Miller's Bakery, Northern Valley Fitness Center, Tenafly Auto Repair, CGI Holistic Center.

• 2004 Photo Contest Winners Online!

  (June 2004) See 2004's winning photos at: 2004 Photos.

• Commemorative Benches

  (January 2004) In 2003, the Demarest Nature Center installed nine commemorative benches at scenic spots throughout the nature center. These handsome benches were made possible by $1,000 donations. Thanks to all!

  Honoree	Donor	Location
  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

• Fun Run Photos

  (November 2003) Click on the news-images below, and relive the highlights of the first annual Fun Run and 5k race!

• Oktoberfest Memories

  (October 2003) Click on the news-images below, and bring back memories of a beautiful and fun Oktoberfest in Demarest.

• Oktoberfest: Thanks!:

  (October 2003) The Demarest Nature Center Association thanks all those who helped in so many ways to make the 2003 Oktoberfest such a success. Those individuals who volunteered of their time and their talents are too many to list and if we tried we would probably leave someone out. Thank you to all who helped in so many ways. The following organizations and business establishments contributed items and services and we thank them:

  A&P of Closter, Benjamin Brothers Hardware, Boy Scout Troop 101, Cafe Savoy of Tenafly, Callahan Jewelers, Casa Vecchio Restaurant, Closter Clearview Cinema, CoCo Nails, Demarest Deli, Demarest Dunkin Donuts, Demarest Fleet Bank, Demarest Liquor Store, Demarest Police Department, Friendly's Ice Cream, Haworth Pharmacy, Korean Women of Demarest, Pawsabilities, Pizza Express of Demarest, Shaffer Gardens, Tenafly Camera, Tenafly Pizza, United Methodist Church at Demarest, Willow Run.

• And the Winners are:

  (September 2003) September 20th drew spectators and runners alike to the Nature Center's First Annual Cross-Country Race and Fun Run through the wooded trails of the Center. This year's winners are:
  
  2.7 mile Cross-Country
  1st male, overall: Lenny Cottrell, age:35, 18m 42 sec
  1st female, overall: Stephane Zavidow, age:37, 22m 15 sec
  1st male, 40-59: Mike Hudick, age:58, 18m 58 sec
  1st female, 40-59: Marianna Simpson, age:55, 27m 52 sec
  1st male, 18-39: Joe Licato, age:39, 27m 31 sec
  1st female, 18-39: Alma Manfredonia, age:38, 34m 59 sec
  1st male, under 13: Greg Costanza, age:11, 21m 47 sec
  
  1.2 mile Fun Run
  1st male, overall: Ethan Coy, age:8, 6m 22 sec
  1st female, overall: Charlotte Zhu, age:8, 7m 40 sec
  1st male, 40-59: Paul Trager, age:43, 7m 56 sec
  1st male, 9-12: Johnny Manfredonia, age:9, 7m 13 sec
  1st female, 9-12: Suman Gidwani, age:10, 8m 54 sec
  1st male, under 9: Vickram Gidwani, age:8, 6m 33 sec
  1st female, under 9: Melissa Trager, age:8, 7m 53 sec
  
  Below: Ethan Coy (top) and Charlotte Zhu (bottom), male and female winners overall in the Fun Run, receive their trophies.
  
  

• Photo Contest Winners Online!

  (June 2003) See this year's winning photos at: 2003 Photos.

• Oktoberfest Gallery

• The Demarest Centennial

  (March 2003) This year the Borough of Demarest is celebrating its 100th birthday. The Demarest Nature Center is having a birthday, too. Thirty years ago, the Demarest Nature Center signed a 41-year lease with the borough on the land that the nature center now occupies. The nature center came about when a group of environmentally concerned citizens, realizing that the last sizable acreage of virgin woodland in Demarest was being threatened by developers, decided to appeal to Borough officials to preserve this tract of land. Lee Emerson, the first president of the Demarest Nature Center, still lives in Demarest. In fact, Luther Lee Emerson School is named after him.

• Demarest Nature Center Needs Your Help

  (March 2003) The Demarest Nature Center is looking for new ways to involve our community in using our beautiful, wooded oasis. If you have a nature-related interest or hobby such as ornithology, entomology, astronomy, wood-carving, weaving, outdoor photography, knot-tying, or solar energy, and would enjoy sharing it with your friends and neighbors, contact Rich Van Buren at 201-767-7054.
  Are you interested in becoming a trustee? Call Rich Van Buren at 201-767-7054.