Rye Y’s Togetherhood Marks 2nd Year of Service with Planting Project

Brook%20and%20Benji%20Newland%20RNC%20projectOn a recent cloudy and cool Saturday, 22 Rye YMCA volunteers gathered at Rye Nature Center to plant grasses and flowers that will provide nectar for the Center’s resident bees.

Led by Taro Ietaka, the Nature Center’s Director of Conversation and Land Stewardship, the group planted spotted beebalm, broom sedge, little blue stem grass, common milkweed, and black-eyed susans. After the planting, the volunteers were treated to an impromptu talk about the lives and habits of bees by Rye Nature Center’s beekeepers. Adults and children alike were fascinated to learn about the complex structure of bee society and enjoyed a close-up look at the thousands of bees housed in the Center’s bee hive.

Togetherhood is a national YMCA social responsibility initiative that engages Y members in community service. Since its formation in May 2014, the Rye Y Togetherhood Committee has organized nine projects for a range of community-based organizations including The Sharing Shelf, Don Bosco Community Center, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, My Sisters’ Place, Bread of Life Food Pantry, St. Ignatius Middle School and the Rye Nature Center. For more information about Togetherhood, contact Denise Woodin at 967-6363 or denise@ryeymca.org.