LAND TRUST MEETINGS
Public welcome and encouraged to attend. All meetings are held at the Cragin Memorial Library on the second Thursday of each month at 7pm. Minutes from the past year's meetings are available below. Other minutes are available upon request.

January 14, 2010	September 10, 2009	April 9, 2009	December 2008
November 12, 2009	August 13, 2009	March 12, 2009	November 13, 2008
October 8, 2009	May 14, 2009	February 12, 2009	October 9, 2008

DISCOVER COLCHESTER The Colchester Land Trust is sponsoring a program called “Discover Colchester” that will explore the many different areas of scenic beauty that are found right here in Colchester.

Each month, a member of the Colchester Land Trust will lead an approximate one-hour hike, bike ride or adventure on the first Sunday of each month at 1pm. These excursions are free and open to the public, and they are designed to introduce adults and children to the many aspects of Colchester that make it one of the top 100 towns to live in the US. The program will encourage outdoor activity, develop new friendships, and foster an appreciation for the value of preserving open space in Colchester. For further information about upcoming hikes or the Colchester Land Trust, contact Marty Podskoch, coordinator of the Discover Colchester hikes at 860-267-2442 or email podskoch@comcast.net. NEXT HIKE Sunday, March 7 at Day Pond State Park at 1 PM. This is the third winter hike of the year. The hike will go around Day Pond and hikers will learn about the projects the Civilian Conservation Corps built in the mid 1930s during the Great Depression. We will then explore the North Loop of the Salmon River State Forest blue-blazed Trail. The hike is approximately 3 miles long and includes a mixture of flat, hilly and rocky terrain. Children, adults, and leashed dogs are welcome. All hikers should have proper footwear and be prepared for snow, ice, or muddy trails. Marty Podskoch, a CLT board member, retired teacher, and author, will lead the hike. This monthly series of hikes is designed to introduce people to some of the natural resources in Colchester. From Route 2, take exit 16, route 149 south and follow signs for Day Pond. From Route 16 or points south, take Route 149 north and follow signs for Day Pond. Drive to the entrance of the park and park near the gate. For information about upcoming hikes, contact Marty Podskoch at 860-267-2442 or podskoch@comcast.net.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Fine Art of Living Art & Wine Auction
Call for Entries | Download Application
The 4th Annual Colchester Land Trust Fine Art of Living, online auction of fine art and fine wine will kick off this year with an Opening Reception at the Cragin Memorial Library in Colchester on Wednedsay, April 7th from 6-8:30pm. The public is invited, and many of the artists will attend. There will be hors’ deouvres, light refreshments and live music. All of the artwork will be on display in the Reception Room that evening and will remain on display at the library the entire month of April. All bidding takes place online at colchesterlandtrust.org, and bids will be accepted throughout the month of April, closing at 7pm. This month-long online auction has four categories of items up for bid: Original Fine Art, Photography & Prints, Sculpture, and Fine Wine. All proceeds of the auction this year will go directly toward the trust's portion of the Ruby II acquisition.

To donate new or used artwork, prints, photography, sculpture or wine, please contact Barry Ford at (860) 267-6751 or barry@fordfolios.com.


Salmon River Run
The 4th Annual Salmon River Run will be held on Saturday, May 8th, 2010 with a start time of 10AM. This 5.5 mile run starts and finishes at the Comstock Covered Bridge on the Colchester/East Hampton town line. The race offers runners a view of classic New England scenery along and around the Salmon River. The course covers a combination of pavement, dirt road and stone dust trail. Registration is $25, and if you pre-register by April 30th, you get a free event T-shirt. There will be awards for the top three finishers in each age group, and a complimentary post race cookout. Walkers are welcome, too! Parking at Fireman's Field adjacent to the Salmon River State Park. Visit the Race site to register.

For more information, contact Cathy Shea, cshea@pcnet.com, 860-537-2158 or
Susan Rzewuski, 860-537-5760.


Ruby II Cocktail Reception
This will be an exclusive cocktail reception to benefit the Ruby II acquisition, and will be held on Thursday evening, February 4th at Hung Won Restaurant in Colchester. There will be hors d'oeuvres, dinner and cocktails, and a brief presentation by Kevin Case from the Land Trust Alliance. Due to limited space, this event will be by invitation only with RSVP required. However, interested parties that are not on our mailing list may request an invitation by emailing Cathy Shea at cshea@pcnet.com.


Ruby II Wine & Cheese Reception
Watch for upcoming information about an exciting fundraising event this summer at Priam Vineyards featuring the locally produced wines of Priam Vineyards and Cato Corner Farm cheeses, with proceeds to benefit the Ruby II acquisition.