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Goats, Face Painting, Walking Across a Rope Bridge, African Drums, Obstacle Courses, Hot Dogs, A Walk at Trout Pond…
McLean Game Refuge Family Day was a Huge Success
 When the Granby 4-H members were thinking of ways to support the Game Refuge, they came up with two ideas that grew and grew over the past year. First, they studied the history of Senator McLean, his place as a conservation hero, and then how he founded the founding of the Game Refuge.. They wrote a play and have performed it in many venues including the Eastern States Exposition (Big E)sates and won the first place award at the 4-H fair. Their second idea was to host a battle of the bands. That concept grew into an old fashioned family day at Salmon Brook Park that attracted several hundred people on a beautiful Columbus Day. Children were given passports to check off everything they participated in during the day. As they left happy and exhausted, teach received a McLean Game Refuge patch to iron on a favorite piece of clothing. Parents asked questions about the Refuge, received maps, and were told that to watch out for the solicitation letters were in the mail for the Save Trout Pond project.
 Twelve different areas of the park were transformed into interesting places to visit, play, listen, or watch. Troup 125 ?? of the Granby Boy Scouts under the leadership Roger Lewis counted 240210 youngsters as they crossed their rope bridge during the day. Children of many ages creativity overflowed decorating apples, making bird feeders and getting their faces painted. Game Refuge volunteers, Pam Mitchell and Dawn Karlson, who organized the craft activities, ran out of apples when more than 200 children decorated them with feathers, piper cleanings and wiggle eyes.. They were ably assisted by Raisa Dirienzo and Krista Karlson, members of the Granby 4-H. Bob Donna, Bob Lindeyer, and Russell Bentley and friends organized pick up soccer games for older youth. For many players, this was a reunion with Bob who had coached them for many years of Granby town league soccer.
 Steve Oliveiri put together a potpourri of musical talent from Professor Ben Toth, head of percussion at the Hartt School of Music, and his son, Ben, who is student at Granby Memorial High School, to Tim Mayock on acoustic guitar. Living Shadow, a 3 piece original rock band from East Granby of 15 year- old boys got the crowd rocking before lunch. Raw Material, a 3 piece rock band from Tariffville, played all original, environmentally based songs in honor of the Game Refuge. Mark Mears Blues Band capped off the day long concert. All of the performers donated their time and talents to support the Game Refuge campaign.
Steve Paine, Game Refuge Director, lead tours to Trout Pond explaining the historical legacy of the Pond, recalling stories of President Coolidge and the Senator camping in the cabin. Steve showed the visitors how Trout Pond has deteriorated and pointed out how plans will save it with the public's support.
Sally King, a member of the Save Trout Pond Committee, ran her dogs through obedience and agility demonstrations. 4-H leader Aimee Gilbert and her sons, Stephen and Albert, members brought two bottle feed goats and a cow and calf for kids to pet.. The Granby Horse Council put their horses through their paces and collected donations for the Game Refuge in which they love to ride. 4-H members 4H member Ryan Dirienzo and Neil Mitchell assisted Tim Mitchell were busy all day helping kids get in sacks and navigate the obstacle course. What fun it was to see siblings, parents and their children, and best friends laugh, run, trip, jump, fall and smile as they completed the course together.
Kane's Market set up a full barbeque to and feed the hundred of hungry people. Lucy Bowman and her grandson, Matt Hawthorne, ran the snack shack benefiting Granby Youth soccer. Other 4-H members, Ricky Bentley and Kyle Mullins assisted with the set up and activities.
Lucy Lindeyer, a member of the Save Trout Pond Committee and Program Coordinator at Holcomb Farm, offered popcorn to all along with maps of the trails at Holcomb Farm. Many out of town visitors came for a family day reading about it in various newspapers and left having learned for the first time about Holcomb Farm and the Game Refuge.
Who knew that today's kids would happily spend a day outside in the fresh air enjoying old fashioned wholesome games that required no electricity, keyboards or internet access. And all of the youth who lead the activities deserve special praise for their kindness, their manners, and their "how can I help now" attitude. Their parents should be very proud of them.
Bill Bentley, Chair of the Save Trout Pond Campaign and a Director of the McLean Foundation, oversaw the day and gratefully accepted a $30,000 check from John Wilkinson, Treasurer Dave Russell, President of the Granby Community Fund, for the Save Trout Pond Project. The grant will be used next summer for the repair of the spillway that was built after the 1955 flood.
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