Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) and Fallsburg Central School District’s (FCSD) working relationship includes CCE’s Healthy Schools Coordinator Mrs. SueAnn Boyd becoming a member of the District’s Wellness Committee. SueAnn and others at the agency have been participating actively in a number of good health related initiatives at FCSD. A major involvement has been collaboration on a Healthy Community Grant awarded to FCSD by Sullivan Renaissance to renovate and reconstruct a hiking trail behind Benjamin Cosor Elementary School (BCES), for which CCE has donated several park benches and will be providing signage along the trail.
Boyd and Emily Devore of CCE have donated time to help clearing the trail, painting railroad ties alongside the elementary school, and will soon be helping put together bird houses, with all materials donated by Brian Brustman, owner of Brustman Land Services inObernburg. Brustman is the District Manager for Soil and Water Conservation District which is located in the same building as CCE.
This past fall, Boyd presented Fallsburg High School with two refillable water bottle filling stations located in the school building and Zip 2 Water Station, donated by Pam Gallaher, owner of Zip 2 Water, Inc. for use outside the building for physical educational classes and athletic events.
As part of the Creating Healthy Schools and Communities, and Eat Smart New York grants for Sullivan County Schools, CCE has provided signage in the cafeterias at both BCES and Fallsburg Jr/Sr High School for the new salad bars in use this year. The signs encourage healthier eating by making healthy food choices such as fresh vegetables and fruits. At the monthly Wellness Committee meetings, ideas for grants and projects are often on the table. The common goal is to provide the healthiest environment for the children of Fallsburg and Sullivan County.