NEW SCOTLAND – The John Boyd Thacher and Thompson’s Lake State Parks have been awarded a $10,000 grant in support of education and the environment from the Consumer Lending Department of HSBC bank.
"We try to get grants for programs that the state normally can’t do because of budget constraints," said Fred Schroeder, treasurer for the Friends of Thacher Park volunteer group. Schroeder, along with his wife, donated much of the money that made the nature center on Thompson’s Lake possible.
Sondra Keith, who manages human resources for HSBC, said she was interested in going hiking with her husband, and found out about Thacher Park on-line. On the website for the park, Keith noticed a section titled, "grants." She clicked on it, and learned about the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center on Thompson’s Lake.

The center opened in 2001. It offers a model of the Helderberg escarpment, a live honeybee hive, a bird-viewing area, fossils, and other hands-on exhibits. The center hosts a number of educational programs for school children, youth groups, clubs, and the public.

Because HSBC is committed to being active in the community, and focusing on programs dealing with education and the environment, Keith said, Thacher Park was a great candidate for a grant.

She called the nature center and was put in contact with Schroeder. Schroeder put together proposals and projected costs for programs that would increase the educational value of the park, Keith said.
"He’s been wonderful to work with," she said of Schroeder.

The consumer lending department of HSBC has a goal of spending $60,000 in 2006, on educational or environmental projects, Keith said. Including the Thacher Park grant, the total donations have reached nearly $52,000 so far this year, to various locations throughout New York State.

The money will be divided between four programs at the park. Half the money, or $5,000 will be used to help restore the waterfront on Thompson’s Lake at the nature center.

Some funds will be used to help establish a series of aquatic study classes for children. Funds have been designated to purchase a dock, rowboats, and class benches. The area behind the nature center will be made accessible to people with handicaps and to large groups of children.

Ten volunteers from the bank were out at Thacher Park this past Saturday. They helped landscape around the nature center, which will prove useful in teaching children about plants.
"We’ve always wanted to get inner-city children to the nature center," Schroeder told The Enterprise.

One of the programs will do just that. The Nature Center Outreach Program will use $2,500 to set up a year-round program to bus children from the inner-cities of Albany, Schenectady, and Rensselaer. This would give the children an opportunity to learn about the natural world, and experience it firsthand.

The Indian Ladder Trail is an awe-inspiring hike through Thacher Park. It is used extensively by visitors of the park. The trail offers views of the Helderberg escarpment, limestone cliffs, and waterfalls. There is currently no informational brochure detailing the geologic formations on the trail; $1,500 will be used to print handouts to help hikers understand the history being experienced on the hike.

Volunteers from both the bank and the community will be helping with trail work – hardening trails against erosion, and constructing bridges and boardwalks. Schroeder estimated that $1,000 would be sufficient to cover the costs of materials and labor. The park also hopes to possibly increase the quantity and size of trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and nature study.