Hartford Maple Syrup Club Launches Campaign to Create 'Tree Spa' for Urban Forest Healing

Willimantic, CT (03/06/2020) — Hartford Maple Syrup Club and Keney Park Sustainability Project are excited to announce a new community sustainability project in Hartford and Ridgefield. This project aims to expand its maple syrup operation and educational programming in Hartford's Keney Park and at Hartford Public Schools. Hartford Maple Syrup Club is seeking broad support from the community to make the project a reality. The club needs to raise $5,094 by the fundraising deadline of March 14, 2020. The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund will provide a dollar-for-dollar match, raising a total of $10,188 for the project.

"The Tree Spa" is a unique combination of maple syrup evaporation and participatory steam room, involving many opportunities for Hartford residents to reconnect with the land where we live and honor Indigenous stewardship practices. The Tree Spa will also travel to The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield for a special event on March 21, as well as tree tapping and collection workshops with neighbors and schools in Ridgefield.

"The Tree Spa gives people across the region a place to come together and enjoy a unique experience of Urban Forest Healing," said Colin McMullan of Hartford Maple Syrup Club.

Sustainable CT is an initiative of the Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) at Eastern Connecticut State University meant to assist communities in becoming more resilient and sustainable. The Community Match Fund CT is an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to donations raised from the community, doubling local investment in projects.

To learn more about the project and donate, visit https://ioby.org/project/tree-spa-urban-forest-healing

About Sustainable CT and Community Match Fund

Sustainable CT is funded by the Hampshire Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and Connecticut Green Bank. The Sustainable CT Community Match Fund is an innovative funding resource that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to all donations raised from the community, doubling local investment. The program is helping to bring projects across the state to life by providing fast, accessible funding as well as fundraising coaching and support to residents and organizations with great ideas to make their communities more sustainable.

Anyone in a Sustainable CT-registered municipality (more than 50 percent of the state) is eligible to receive this funding, meaning that schools, nonprofits, community groups and individual residents can all propose projects and access the matching funds. To start a Community Match Fund project, visit www.ioby.org/sustainablect or contact Sustainable CT's Abe Hilding-Salorio at hildingsalorioa@easternct.edu or 860-465-0256.

"Through the Community Match Fund, we aim to put residents at the forefront of creating positive, impactful change," said Hilding-Salorio, community outreach manager for Sustainable CT. "Match Fund projects are community led and community funded, demonstrating the power of people working together to make change in their communities."

Sustainable CT, an initiative by the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Eastern Connecticut State University, provides a roadmap of sustainability best practices for towns, technical assistance, funding and recognition through certification. Forty-seven towns and cities across Connecticut have earned the prestigious Sustainable CT certification, demonstrating accomplishments in nine impact categories including inclusive and equitable communities, cleaner transportation, vibrant arts and culture, natural resource stewardship and affordable housing. Find more information at www.sustainablect.org.

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