Hopewell: Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (“FoHVOS”) will be holding its annual fall fundraising event at 3 pm on September 18 at the Strawberry Hill Mansion on Baldpate Mountain. This year’s theme, “The Enchanted Forest,” will see the historic Strawberry Hill Mansion transformed into a magical woodland, complete with troll houses, fairy lights and overhanging branches, paying homage to the thousands of acres of forest that FoHVOS has had a hand in preserving. The celebration will feature a delicious selection of hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Will Mooney of The Brothers Moon Restaurant with the assistance of Tama Matsuoka Wong, a professional forager who operates on land preserved by FoHVOS.
Attendees will also enjoy spirits, bluegrass music from the Magnolia String Band, and spectacular views overlooking the Delaware River on the patio of the mansion, while supporting the preservation and stewardship of the area’s open space. The event will feature a silent auction and will honor Mercer County Naturalist (and Hopewell local) Jennifer Rogers with the Jack Gleeson Environmental Award. Early sponsors of the event include Bloomberg, Northfield Bank, Wegmans, MRP Plans, MercerMe and Stevens & Lee.
Limited remaining tickets and sponsorships opportunities are available at the FoHVOS website.
FoHVOS also recently announced its first annual fall photography contest, “Treasures of
the Forest.” The contest opened on August 2 and the group is accepting entries until October 21 at 5 pm. The theme, “Treasures of the Forest,” aims to highlight the vast ecosystems of the forest including mushrooms, lichens, and slime molds. Organizers encourage photographers to use their imaginations to showcase the acres of preserved land in the Hopewell Valley area. All amateur and professional photographers are encouraged to submit photographs. An exhibit of photos submitted to the contest will be held at the Hopewell Creative Arts Studio (17 Seminary Ave., Hopewell, NJ) from November 4-30, with a reception on November 4, which will be part of Hopewell Borough’s “First Friday” art and shopping events. For submission information and contest rules, visit the contest page at fohvos.org.
Hopewell Creative Arts Center, Seminary Ave. Hopewell Borough.
MercerMe is proud to support FoHVOS in honoring Jennifer Rogers and in its mission to preserve and maintain open space in Hopewell Valley as a “Red Maple” Sponsor. Contributor Ryan Kennedy is a trustee of the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.
