Posts Tagged with ny

 Life has its challenges and sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the difficulties and not see the simple gifts around us. Today I was reminded of a story I read just a few weeks ago. This story moved me. It insipired me. It is Rachel's Story. You must have heard about Rachel by now but even if you know her story it is worth repeating.

Rachel was a nine year old little girl. Her heart was moved when she learned that children in other nations often perish from the lack of clean drinking water. So Rachel decided to do something to make a difference. She made a plan to participate with a charitable organization and raise money for clean water projects in the developing nations. Rachel set a goal of raising $300 for the charity by her ninth birthday. She asked her friends and family to contribute to the cause in lieu of getting her a birthday gift. Her ninth birthday came and she remained just $20 short of her goal. Then sadly, a few weeks after Rachel's ninth birthday, she died as the result of a car accident. And then slowly the circle of her influence grew. It seems many were moved by the heart of a child that saw the needs of others above her own. Rachel's story was picked up by the media and the circle widened further.  I stumbled upon the story and was deeply moved... I cried as I read comments from the contributors and from her mother. It seems that people were led to give to the cause because of the compassion they saw modeled in a young

The Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, located at 200 New Highway, Commack, New York, has much to offer and has proven to be fun for the whole family.  There are many attractions and loads of activities possible at the preserve and the best part is, it's open 365 days a year!  A nature center, the Hoyt House Museum, and a children's water playground are only a few reasons why families flock here year round.

With a front lawn acres wide equipped with a baseball field, playground, and picnic tables, Smithtown residents don't hesitate to enjoy some fun in the sun.  There are also grill pits in several locations for those who would like to bring and enjoy their own food.  Passed the front field, visitors will enjoy a nature preserve of farm animals such as a bull, pig, chickens, sheep, goats, etc.  In the Nature Center house, which is open Memorial Day through Labor Day, there are also live animals such as snakes, frogs, salamanders, turtles, and fish.  It's a great place for people of all ages to come and not just enjoy themselves, but also learn something new about all sorts of animals.

For those of you who enjoy staying active, along with the large field to play sports, there are extensive wooded trails to enjoy hiking or biking.  To get an even more detailed looked at the Hoyt Farm Nature Preserve, I've included a video of