On Oct. 13, three Sag Harbor Environmental Club students held a concert at The Church in Sag Harbor to raise money for Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt. The all-volunteer organization works to protect the Long Pond Greenbelt, which is an 800-acre expansion of ponds, wetlands, woods, and fields that stretches from Sag Harbor to Sagaponack.
To celebrate and bring awareness to the organization, Pierson High School seniors, Meredith Spolarich, Elizabeth Hallock, and Miachesca Gangemi, joined together for a performance of “Silent Strings,” an ensemble of music and poetry in celebration of the natural world. With Spolarich as the poet, Hallock as the violinist, and Gangemi as the harpist, the students creatively spoke to the importance of protecting the natural environment and the beauty it holds.
The fundraising performance started as an idea in an International Baccalaureate Environmental System and Societies class, which the students took last year. The class was led by Pierson teacher, Dr. Robert Schumacher, who encouraged the students to get together and hold the concert this October.
“We can all thank Mr. Schumacher, our teacher, for planting this idea in our heads and bringing us together,” said Spolarich. “In this class, we learned about the network of connections between our community and the ecosystem that surrounds us. We discussed the various environmental issues that face our community and the role we play in the sustainability of Sag Harbor.”
Through a clear passion for protecting the natural environment and encouraging the Sag Harbor community to do the same, Spolarich, Hallock, and Gangemi uniquely performed for a small crowd. Together, they encouraged reflective thoughts and the chance to act through donations.
Photo caption: Three Sag Harbor Environmental Club seniors performed “Silent Strings” at The Church in Sag Harbor to raise money for Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt. Pictured are Miachesca Gangemi, Elizabeth Hallock, and Meredith Spolarich.