Show your love for Sugar Loaf Mountain

The Orange County Land Trust hopes to raise $200,000 through online contributions by early May.

Toward that end, an anonymous donor in Chester recently approached the trust, offering to sponsor a two-for-one Giving Match through Valentine’s Day.

In the press release announcing the news, Executive Director Jim Delaune said that the match donor wanted to encourage people to chip in what they could and still make a big impact.

“Show some love and they will show it back, as every $1 donated will be matched and doubled two-for-one,” Delaune sasid.

Eight months have passed since the OCLT secured an option agreement to purchase the $2.4M Sugar Loaf Mountain property.

Goal: To connect Sugar Loaf Mountain property to Goosepond Mountain State Park

Since then, OCLT has powered through the lengthy due diligence process while embarking on an ambitious fund-raising campaign to raise the funds needed to purchase the property.

OCLT’s goal in this prominent land protection project is to ensure public access to the property by connecting the land to Goosepond Mountain State Park (1,558 acres of open space located in Chester) for recreation, while protecting the property’s sensitive habitats and water resources.

$100,000, plus pledges, plus a grant

OCLT secured non-profit and commercial loans early in their campaign to help set a strong foundation for fund-raising. OCLT has raised nearly $100,000 in donations from the community per its crowdsourcing page on the online fund-raising platform, Fundrazr.

According to Delaune, OCLT has received pledges from three individual community members offering their support through major gifts, gifts that Delaune described as “difference makers.”

The land trust also anticipates receiving a non-profit grant that will further bridge the funding gap during what it considers to be the last and most important phase of the fund raising.

“We’re on pace to complete this deal as planned thanks to dedication and enthusiasm of our incredible supporters, the community, County Government, the Town of Chester and our conservation partners,” Delaune said.

OCLT has also received contributions from several local businesses, including: Exposures Gallery, FABCO Power, Landmark Inn, My Sister’s Closet, Rosner Soaps, Seely & Durland and Tin Barn Brewing, among others.

Essential information

To make a contribution, visit www.Fundrazr.com/SugarLoafMountain. For more information about the Land Trust’s Save the Mountain campaign, visit www.SaveSugarLoafMountain.org.

The Orange County Land Trust is dedicated to protecting Orange County’s diverse habitats, watersheds, wildlife corridors, and working farmland through conservation agreements with willing landowners. For more information, visit www.oclt.org or call 845-534-3690.