Five Dozen Residents Join Two Friends

Who Are Still Walking For Wildlife

By Shannon Hicks

Shortly after 9 am last Saturday morning, it was beginning to look like many of the registered walkers for the Second Annual 2011 Walk For Wildlife were not going to show up for Julia Shuman and Liza Tananbaum.

The girls had spent weeks organizing the 2011 event, which kept the 2010 BP oil spill from being forgotten while raising funds for the environment and wildlife affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that continued from April until July 2010. But shortly before their August 6 walk was scheduled to step off, they were not seeing a lot of those who had registered for the special event.

Fortunately that changed quickly. About 15 minutes before the walk was to begin, dozens of people began arriving in the cul-de-sac of Cider Mill Road, bringing donations and enthusiasm with them.

Julia and Liza had hoped to raise $1,000 this year. At the onset of Saturday morning, they had reached $500.

But like the slow start with that morning’s check-in process, the funds also started rolling in quickly. By the end of the day, the girls had collected $1,006 for their efforts.

“We were six dollars ahead,” Julia reported a few days after the event. “I was surprised that we did that, because we were low at the beginning of Saturday morning. I didn’t think we were going to raise another $500, but we did. I was really happy about that.”

Liza, who had departed for camp almost immediately after the event, was “also pleased, I’m sure,” said Julia.

By 9:30 Saturday morning more than 60 people had gathered around a set of tables the girls and their families had set up. Some walkers were signing in, others were offering donations and signing up for the first time, and still others were perusing the collection of about 20 raffle prizes that were up for grabs. Another table also attracted the attention of children. A large glass jar had been filled with candy and the younger walkers were invited to submit their guesses on how many pieces of candy were in the jar.

For adults, a silent auction was offering a collection of gift certificates to four local restaurants. Another table had a tri-fold poster board display with information on gardening for wildlife and creating a certified wildlife habitat, with information gleaned from National Wildlife Federation. NWF was the organization the girls had selected last year to benefit from their Walk For Wildlife. Their efforts this month again assisted the organization.

Julia and Liza, ages 10 and 11, respectively, looked up at one point, and realized their crowd was about as large as it was going to get. Boys and girls, moms and dads, grandparents, and even a few dogs were all ready to start the two-mile walk for which everyone had gathered.

They quickly picked up their 2011 Walk For Wildlife banner, assembled everyone in the side yard of the Tananbaum family home for a group photo, and then the walk began.

The duo led their large group of walkers to the end of Cider Mill Road, and turned south onto Charter Ridge. The walk continued east onto Clapboard Ridge, to the intersection with Canterbury Road, back out to Charter Ridge, and back to Cider Mill Road. Along the way there were signs with information about the animals that were, and continue to be, affected by the oil spill, and fun breaks like a Tongue Twister Stop (“Silver snails slipped silently southward”).

Water stops were also set up, which was a very good idea considering Saturday’s sunshine and humidity.

“Some people stopped for the signs, but everyone stopped for the water,” said Julia.

At the end of the walk, the girls picked winning tickets for all of their raffle prizes. Everyone who had signed up in advance had been given one raffle ticket, and additional tickets could be purchased.

Items included a Hannah Montana Mall Madness board game, a basket of summer games, stamping and scrapbooking kits, a metal birdhouse decorated with a tin sunflower, a packet of dolphin-themed items and another packet of sea turtle items, grown-your-own pumpkin kits, a beaded necklace, a Vera Bradley reusable shopping bag, and sizable bag of assorted candy. A lot of kids were hoping their free raffle ticket would land them that last prize.

Local merchants helped the girls this year. Gift certificates had been donated for the raffle from Carminuccio’s Pizza, Golden Nails, Good Ideas Parent-Teacher Store, Just-A-Buck, My Place Restaurant, Newtown Nails, and Nina Nails.

Gift certificates from Sal e Pepe, El Coyote, Pacific Asian Bistro, and Mac Daddy’s, a collection valued at $115, were also offered as a package lot. One lucky person won that collection after placing the winning silent auction bid of just $45.

“Someone got a pretty good deal,” said Julia.

Joy Metzger also went home with a prize. Joy’s guess of 316 pieces of candy in the Kids’ Candy Jar was the closest to correct count of 318.

Finally, as a thank you to everyone who participated, Julia and Liza gave cupcakes to all of the walkers. Following their aquatic wildlife theme, the girls — with help from Liza’s mom Beth, the owner of Peace Love and Cupcakes — had covered a few dozen vanilla cupcakes with a light blue, vanilla flavored frosting. Each cupcake was then decorated with crushed graham crackers set out to look like sand, white chocolate that had been dyed green and laid down in the shape of a sea plant, and a red gummy fish.

(Visit www.NewtownBee.com, and look for this story under the Features tab, where a slideshow offers more than 30 photos Saturday’s event.)