It has been an incredible year, full of incredible progress. The beauty of the river and surrounding greenspaces in the Park have continued to make an indelible mark on Stamford, becoming a staple for many in the downtown area and beyond. Progress is being made every day on the new spaces that will bring more friends to this community that we are building together.
Today, this annual report serves to highlight the amazing strides we’ve made in the last year, with thanks to our many invested individual and corporate donors, our board, our small and deeply dedicated staff, and of course, all the visitors who make the Park a highlight of downtown Stamford.
This year, activity in the Park continued to explode with growth. We started our summer early, launching our fitness classes and family programs in May instead of June, made a new record for highest year of camp attendance ever, and booked solid our entire field trip schedule for the year. We started work on the total rebuild of the Park Playground, and opened the Richmond Hill Riverwalk, formerly known as Middle Corridor West. Now, we are seeking out the remaining funds needed for the cornerstone piece of the Park –the Community Commons.
We are so honored to be working together with our friends and neighbors to be making the Park something that everyone can enjoy. Everyday, more and more people learn about the Park and love it as much as we do. Thank you for helping us make the Park what it is today, and continuing to support its progress.
We hope to see you in the Park soon!
Sincerely,
Arnold M. Karp Nette Compton
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Our year-round roster of programming saw massive success, building on fan favorites and offering some new programming to expand our reach to new, untapped audiences that are full of potential. Our free and low-cost programs, including the family-friendly offerings like Sunday Funday Storytimes, Fun Saturday Morning performances and activities for children, Movies in the Park and the Easter Bunny and Halloween Trails, have been a great way to bring the community together in nature.
2024 IMPACT for Park Events and Programming
OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
The Afterschool program finished its first year, serving ages 5 – 12! Housed in the Whittingham Discovery Center, the Afterschool program provides care for elementary age children from 2 – 6 PM. Thanks to our partnership with Stamford Public Schools, we are able to provide free bus transportation to the Afterschool program for children attending the Stamford Public Schools. The program provides individualized homework help, on-site enrichment programs, field trips, and time to enjoy nature.
In 2024, we served 14 schools (11 Stamford public schools, 1 charter, 1 private, 1 Darien public school): Cloonan, Charter School of Excellence, The Children’s School, Davenport, Hart, KT Murphy, Newfield, Rogers, Roxbury, Scofield, Stillmeadow, Strawberry Hill, Turn of River, and Royle Elementary.
Our students received skating lessons at no charge on the Cohen Ice Skating Center in the Park. We also partnered with Bring the Hoopla, The Blues & Beyond, and Kids FANS to bring enriching, unique programming to our students.
“There’s a lot I like about the program! The staff is wonderfully interactive, and definitely keeps parents updated on any changes.” – Jen S., Caregiver
FIELD TRIPS
Our signature education programs for grades K – 12 are an enticing prospect for schools and groups in the greater Stamford area, providing hands-on experiences with nature and environmental science that many students don’t typically have access to in a classroom setting. This year, we partnered with Stamford Public School District to bring the entire third grade and fourth grade in the Park!
Half Day Field Trip Offerings
Bird Beak Buffet • Kindergarten
Bird Bonanza • Grades 1 and 2
Sticky Situations • Grades 2 – 3
Forces and Motion • Grades 3 - 4
All About Energy • Grades 3 – 5
Habitat Hunters • Grades 3 - 5
Environmental Engineers • Grades 5 - 7
Resilient Community • Grades 6 – 8
Classic Field Trip Offerings
Soil and Nutrients • Grades 3 – 5
Water Sampling • Grade 4+
Leaf Pack Investigation • All Grades
Native Plants Scavenger Hunt • All Grades
Take a Nature Walk • All Grades 2024 IMPACT for Field Trip Programs
4,073
HENKEL RESEARCHERS’ WORLDTM
Henkel Researchers’ World is an education initiative designed by Henkel to introduce children ages 7 – 11 to the fascinating world of science by putting them in the role of an actual researcher.
The Henkel Researchers’ World classroom in our Whittingham Discovery Center has welcomed thousands of students through our educational programming, including field trips, Henkel Researchers’ World classes, and other drop-in programs.
Our Discovery Cart, launched in summer 2022, extends the learning from the Henkel classroom out into the Park! The Cart offers 15-minute pop-up experiments run by our Docents every weekend in the Park (weather permitting) and has remained popular with Park visitors.
2024 IMPACT for Henkel Researchers’ World Programs
2,141 students/children served
Exceeded our commitment by 293% for the 2023 calendar year
“The program is cohesive and comprehensive in teaching students about the different types of energies. The activities are fun, interactive, and overall really engaging. Count on Stark School Grade 4 to be back next year!”
Fourth Grade Teacher, Julia A. Stark Elementary School
YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: DOCENTS
Our Docents program was launched in 2021 as an expansion of our successful Stewards program. The Docents program trains graduates of the Stewards program to enhance the Park’s outreach and help facilitate programs that connect the natural, historical, and cultural resources of the park with the diverse community.
In 2024, we had 20 paid docents, 18 of whom completed the Stewards internship. 90% of the current docents have stayed with us for over a year, with four of them returning for the summer while attending college.
2024 IMPACT for Docents
PROGRAMS DELIVERED
Discovery Cart
Perfectly pH
All About Bubbles
Solar
Watershed Table demonstration
Drop-in Crafts
Bird Feeder Craft
Papermaking
Waterwheels
Cherry Blossom Tours
Low-Sensory Halloween and Easter activities
Exhibit Activities
SKILLS DEVELOPED
Public speaking workshops with Toastmasters
Financial literacy with AMG
Career Preparedness and Networking with AMG
Building self-confidence, public speaking, critical thinking and problem solving, customer service and leadership
PATHWAYS TO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
3 took leadership roles as Lead Docents
Sensory Bins: Birds, Tracks, Butterflies
Footprint stories
Color and Light exhibit
YOUTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: STEWARDS
Mill River Stewards internship program, launched in 2010, is a paid internship for Stamford high school students with a focus on increasing Stewards’ environmental literacy and awareness. This fiscal year, we served 24 high school students, bringing us close to a lifetime total of 200 students served through the program.
2024 IMPACT for Stewards Interns
PROJECTS COMPLETED
Mapping the plants in the park
Streambed assessment
Water quality monitoring
Produced a documentary on spotted lanternflies and did a Q & A at a public showing of the documentary in the WDC
SKILLS DEVELOPED
Teamwork
Problem-solving Communication
FIELD TRIPS TAKEN
Pathfinders Challenge Course at Scalzi Park to work on team building and communication
Norwalk’s Veterans Park and The Maritime Aquarium
NY Botanical Gardens
Little Island Park and the Highline in NYC for innovative green infrastructure and park design
UCONN Stamford Campus Tour
Fordham University Tour
PARTNER AND PARK SPONSORED EVENTS
Stamford Dances
Mill River Park and Stamford Downtown Special Services District (DSSD) hosted TWO evenings of dance, with headliners Thomas/Ortiz Dance and Connecticut Ballet, and opening acts by “Portal Norteno” Peruvian dance school, Pureqkuna Ecuadorian dance group and Ballet School of Stamford, Slowiane Polish Folk dance group and the “Kalynon’ka” Ukranian dance group.
,Alive at Five
Mill River Park hosted DSSD to hold Alive at Five inside the Park yet again, enjoying local food trucks, craft beer and cocktails, vendors, and more.
Hey Stamford! Food Fest
The sixth-annual Hey Stamford! Food Festival was held at the Park, spanning six days in August 2023 and was packed with the best food and live music around.
Mayor’s Multicultural Council Salsa Night
We were proud to once again celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in collaboration with the Mayor’s Multicultural Council, exploring the rhythms of salsa dance!
Oktoberfest
Many beer enthusiasts came to the 2023 Oktoberfest celebration held at the end of September 2023 by Parachute Concerts, and enjoyed classic Oktoberfest fare.
That’s Amore!
Italian food connoisseurs came out in droves to join us for a weekend of Italian culture celebration, despite some rainy weather.
Luckypawlooza
Dog owners and dog lovers alike braved the rain for this 2023 family-friendly fundraiser that jointly supported the local Lucky Dog Refuge and the Mill River Bark Park, featuring live music, adoptable animals, food trucks and more.
Off-Main Experience Art Festival
Presented in partnership with the Rise Up Group, this event brought artists and art lovers to the Park to express themselves and connect with local artists.
The Holiday Stroll
The Holiday Stroll from Parachute Concerts returned in 2023 with a spectacular walk-through experience featuring more huge family-friendly displays and a 30-foot interactive Christmas tree.
PARTIES IN THE PARK
Located in the heart of Stamford, Mill River Park is a beautiful and accessible venue for birthday parties, corporate and community events, and more. With options for both indoor and outdoor event space, you can invite guests to enjoy the seasonal beauty of the Park at the Cohen Skating Center, the Brownstein | Selkowitz Carousel Pavilion, and the Whittingham Discovery Center. To book a party, contact parties@millriverpark.org.
2024 Dinner in the Park
We had wonderful weather for our gala on May 2, 2024, celebrating the spirit of service and volunteerism.
This year, we were delighted to honor Senator Richard Blumenthal and his wife Cynthia Malkin Blumenthal for their years of dedicated civic service, along with our loyal corporate volunteers from Charter Communications, Henkel, KPMG, Reckson, our neighbors at the University of Connecticut, and our Main Street Garden volunteers.
Together, these organizations have contributed thousands of hours of volunteer service alongside our dedicated Landcare team, helping to assure that Mill River Park remains pristine for all.
VOLUNTEERS
Corporate Volunteers
This fiscal year, we more than doubled our volunteer groups. Volunteers help our hardworking Landcare staff maintain the 30+ acres of greenspace within Mill River Park. Their time and effort help ensure that the flora and fauna are thriving and that the Park is looking its best for the Stamford community. We greatly appreciate all of our volunteers’ donated time, as well as their financial contributions.
Main Street Garden Volunteers
The Main Street Garden is Mill River Park’s own mini botanical garden, featuring an array of beautiful floral gardens and plants. Situated outside the Main Street entrance, the Garden would not be what it is without the work done by its group of dedicated volunteers for over ten years.
The Collaborative is deeply grateful for these Park champions, who work tirelessly with our team to ensure the Park’s lasting beauty.
2024 IMPACT for the Corporate Volunteer Program
Total Donations: $17,500.00
# of Volunteers: 849
Total of Hours Volunteered: 2,512*
*Equivalent to an additional full-time staff person in the park.
EVOLVING PARK PROJECTS
The New Mill River Park Playground
One of the most beloved features of the Park, the Mill River Park Playground was built in 2006 by 1,500 volunteers over 5 days. Now, almost two decades later, it is time to reinvent the playground space and make it more accessible for all to enjoy! We anticipate the new playground will be ready to enjoy in summer 2025.
Richmond Hill Riverwalk
The Richmond Hill Riverwalk, formerly known as Middle Corridor West, was opened in October 2024!
The first public event held in the new space was on October 26 with a huge MuralFest event, featuring local artists, an on-site art exhibit called the Seed, and plenty of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Community Commons
In March 2024, Senator Chris Murphy and Senator Richard Blumenthal secured $4.5 million to support the construction of the final central component of Mill River Park – the Community Commons. In September 2024, we received an additional $7.6 million from the Community Investment Fund. With two dog parks, a shade pergola, permanent restrooms, and a welcome garden, this feature will solidify a vision for the Park that has been decades in the making.
Photo Credit: Byron Soza of Alli Inka Media
Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Revenue
City of Stamford
Operations Grant $500,000
Operations Tax Incremental Funding $1,215,000
TOTAL CITY OF STAMFORD $1,715,000
Individual Donations $168,732
Fundraising Events (net) $259,870
Fee-for-Service/Programming $401,515
Corporate & Foundation Giving $543,435
TOTAL REVENUE $3,088,552
Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Expenses
Administration $254,455
Fundraising $325,567
Program Expenditure/Park Maintenance $3,446,771
TOTAL EXPENSES $4,026,493
Fiscal Year 2024 Capital Funding
Capital Funding
Investment Income
$48,918
City of Stamford — Tax Incremental Funding $817,278
Individual Capital Donations $60,000
Corporate & Foundation Capital Donations $566,280
TOTAL CAPITAL FUNDING $1,492,276
Fiscal Year 2024 Capital Expenses
Capital Expenses
Construction Management $197,444
Capital Construction in Progress $631,140
Capital Fixed Assets $504,228
TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENSES $1,332,812
MILL RIVER PARK COLLABORATIVE SUPPORTERS
Legacy Grove
Special thanks to the donors who have given or pledged over $1 million dollars over the Collaborative’s 20-year history.
McKeon Family
Don & Lisa Brownstein
City of Stamford
Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
General Electric (GE)
The Suzanne McGraw Foundation Inc.
National Fish & Wildlife Foundation
Selkowitz Family Foundation
State of Connecticut
John & Paula Todd
Andrew Whittingham & Family
Michael Whittingham & Family
Cherry Blossom Society
Special thanks to the donors who have given or pledged $225,000 to $750,000 over the Collaborative’s 20-year history.
Charter Communications
Marilyn Clements
The Cullman Family
First County Bank Foundation Inc.
Dean & Laura Godown
Henkel Corporation
Karp Family Foundation
Vince & Linda McMahon Family Foundation Inc.
Nestle Waters North America Inc.
David & Miriam Nissen
Harley & Stephen Osman
The Overbrook Foundation: Robin & Julie Graham
Patricia & Robert Phillips
Reckson, A Division of SL Green
The Rich Family Foundation
Charles & Deborah Royce
The Herbert & Nell Singer Foundation Inc.
Structured Portfolio Management
Synchrony
Thomson Reuters UBS
Barbara & Fabrizio Zichichi
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
We want to acknowledge and thank all of our generous Park supporters who gave from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
$99,999 to $50,000
The Suzanne McGraw Foundation Inc.
Marilyn Clements
$49,999 to $25,000
AMG Wealth
Charter Communications
Dean & Laura Godown
Richard Lukaj
Malkins Holdings, LLC
Pitney Bowes Foundation
$24,999 to $10,000
Mark Barbera
Russell Berkowitz
Senator Richard & Cynthia
Blumenthal
Nancy & Ralph Casazzone
Castleton Commodities
International
The Day Family Foundation
Fairfield County’s
Community Foundation
First County Bank Foundation, Inc.
Julie & Robin Graham
Horizon Foundation, Inc.
Arnold & Lisa Karp
Frank & Lori Mercede
Park Tower Stamford Association
Phibro Renew Oil
Reckson
RMS Companies
Selkowitz Family Foundation
Marsha J. Shendell
Stratfield Fund
Thomas Tryforos
The Velaj Foundation
The Andrew J Whittingham
Family Foundation Inc.
Barbara & Fabrizio Zichichi
$9,999 to $5,000
Accurate Lock and Hardware
Ashforth Properties Inc.
Claude Bernstein
Brownstein Family Foundation
Carmody, Torrance, Sandak & Hennessey, LLP
Susan Cullman
Tara Doyle
Cynthia Ferreira
The First Bank of Greenwich
Grade A ShopRite
Keitha Kinne
KPMG LLP
Noah Lapine
Scott Lumby
Elizabeth & Tom Mantione
Jon Marcus
Linda & Vince McMahon
Montagno Construction
Jerome & Susan Rapoport
The Rich Family Foundation
Robinson & Cole LLP
June Rosenthal
Jim Shapiro & Cristin Tierney
Silver Golub & Teitell, LLP
Stamford Downtown Special Services District
Harley & Stephen Osman
Wellbuilt Company
Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin &
Kuriansky, LLP
Ari Yasgur
$4,999 to $1,000
Terry Adams
Acme Electric Company Inc.
Ron & June Ahrens
B2R Consulting Engineers, PLLC
Bartley Family Orthodontics
Kerrin & Stephne Behrend
Brian Capone Land Services LLC
Ellen Bromley
Maureen & Michael Cacace
Centerbrook Architects and Planners
Tom Cingari
Miriam Cohen
Kathryn Corbally
Cross Insurance
Jamie Delaney
Denise & Nicola Doria
Samuel Echezona
Empire State Realty Trust
Ernst & Young, U.S. LLP
Esta & Jay Feinsod
George Fox
George Comfort & Sons, Inc.
Saul Goodman
Edward & Susan Greenberg
Claire L. Helsing Foundation
Bill & Jevera Hennessey
Hoffman Investment Partners, LLC
Juanita James
Christopher Jordan
Mitch Kidd
Terry LaPolice
Legal & General Retirement America
Norman & Nina Lotstein
Thomas Muller
Shelly Nichani
David Martin
Alan & Lynn Pearce
Robert Peirce
Barbara Pierce
Richard Redniss
James Ritman
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
Alana & Jed Selkowitz
Aga & Paul Senecal
Shipman & Goodwin, LLP
Richard Silver
The Simmons Family Foundation
Stamford Hospital Foundation
Judith Steinberg
Eileen Lynch Sussan
Synchrony
Steven Sintra
Breena Toussaint
Bill Tyson
Denise & Tom Walsh
Adam Whittingham
The Whitmyer Family
Michael Widland
$999 to $500
Stuart Adelberg
Cathy & George Boyce
Luke Buttenwieser
Lynn & Stephen Cohen
Harry Day
Delta Fountains
Fredric & Harriet Dulaney
Garry & Sue Feldman
Lewis Finkel
Donna & Ed Fuhrman
David Genovese
Jeff & Risa Goldblum
Emily Gordon
Robert Granata
Judith & Leonard Haber
Jamie Heffernan
Carmen Hughes
David Kooris
Seth & Eve Lapine
David Lasnick
James & Margot Mustich
Rockefeller Capital
Management
Frank Russo
Lizabeth & Paul Sachs
Ryan Salvatore
Helen & Sheldron Seplowitz
Grant Silver
David Stein
Robin Stein
Therrien & Associates, P.C.
The Watt Family Foundation
Jennifer Young
$249 to $100
Guy Bailey
Sanford A. Bell
Charlotte & Mark Bishop
Gregory Bomash
Henry Bubel
Ina Cameron-Winn
Tim Cannon
Peter Carriero
Raiford Cockfield
Linda Colucci
Jeannette Compton
Gloria DePina
Bart Donahoe
May & Vagn Fausing
Vito Ferrucci
Jimmy Fink
Deborah Fins
Bridget Fox
Salvatore Gentile
Gary Gepner
Joseph Giancola III
Frances & Gerry Ginsburg
Irving & Marilyn Goldblum
John & Joanne Goodreds
Elizabeth Guerrero
Oscar Gutierrez
Barbara & Edward Guttman
Arlene Hall
Damion Hanson
Richard Harper
Barry Hersh
Elizabeth Huffine
Karen Juul
Steve Karp
Edith Khayatt
Nick & Rebecca Lai
Stephen Lynch
Elizabeth Mercede
Jean Meyer
Stanford Miller
Garry Morton
Carolyn Nadel
Craig & Suzanne Olin
Carol Paraskevas
James Popper
Jerry & Michelle Pusser
Mary Lou Rinaldi
Daniel & Zoe Schwartz
Eugene & Frieda Shapiro
Stephen Sherman
Henry & Meryl Silverstein
Heidi & Mark Silverstein
Turhan Tirana
Kelly Trahan
Elliot & Emily Turner
Juliet & Matthew Weissman
Margot Zales
Up to $100
Marni Amsellem
Jasmine Bresnihan
Norberto Barroso
Bruce Block
Nancy-Jean Bono
Sarah Boyle
Catherine Castro
Chyna Davis
Katherine Gunya
Gail Grosso Hofmann
Dianne & Malcolm Houtz
Holly Hyman
Ryan Janowski
John Keller
Mary Krayeske
Wendy Lewis
Grace Markovits
Fatima Mawji
Mark Mendelsohn
Isabella Montenegro
Luisa & Noah Montenegro
Brooke Nilsen
Robert Orr
Kurt & Susan Ostheimer
Benjy & Nicki Ratzersdorfer &
Kornbluth
Maureen Ronan
Michael Sabia Jr.
Nicole Shanahan
Martin Ramirez
Gunnar Sahlin
Carolyn & Frederick Shulman
James Simpson
Patti Slavin
Stephen Vesce
Terry White
Bradley S. Winters
Karen Zambelli
OUR CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS
The Ashforth Company Bank of America
Boston University
Castleton
Crius Energy
Deloitte
Design Within Reach
Developing World Markets
Diageo
Digitas
Eastern Mountain Sports
Ernst & Young
Franklin Templeton/K2 Advisors
Future 5
GE Harman
Indeed.com
InteliSearch
Keller Williams
KPMG
Legg Mason
Moffly Media
Morgan Stanley
NBC Sports
Nestle Waters
Nielsen
Park Tower
Pepsi Co.
Philips
Point 72 (Steven & Alexandra Cohen)
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
RBS
Reckson
Spencer Stuart
Stamford Hilton
Stamford JCC
Starwood Hotels
Target
Thomson Reuters
Towers Watson
Trafigura
UBS
UCONN City of Stamford Community Engagement
Viacom
OUR TEAM
Board of Directors
Arnold M. Karp | Chair
George Boyce | Vice Chair
Frank Mercede | Vice Chair
Robert Granata | Treasurer
Don Brownstein | Secretary
Ryan Salvatore | Assistant Secretary
Ralph Blessing
Bonnie Kim Campbell
Kathryn Corbally
Keegan Drenosky
Cynthia Ferreira
Bridget Fox
Emily M. Gordon
Rev. Dr. Robert Jackson
David Kooris
Jon Marcus
Shelly Nichani
Matt Quinones
Jim Shapiro
Tom Walsh
Adam Whittingham
Michael Widland
Jennifer Young
Fabrizio Zichichi
Nette Compton
President and CEO
Arthur Selkowitz
Founding Board Chair
Staff
Nette Compton President and CEO
Mike Stake VP of Capital Planning
Alicia Wettenstein VP of Development
Marlie Saint-Surin Director of Programs and Administration
Kristia Abraham Director of Education and Sustainability
Tom Casazzone Director of Finance and Operations
Britt Garth Senior Communications Manager
Tiffany Wilson Senior Youth and Family Programs Manager
Vincent Piselli Senior Landcare Manager
Staff (cont’d)
Roselyne Opont Senior Private Events and Carousel Operations Manager
Brian Sachs Landcare Assistant Manager
Madhura Suryawanshi Education Manager
Kristy Schutzman Horticulture Supervisor
Katteryn Baez Marketing and Programs Coordinator
Isabella Montenegro Development Associate
Brandon Forlenzo Landcare Technician
Gabriel Gardino Park Ambassador
Alex Nelson Park Ambassador
Jason Riendeau Park Ambassador and Maintenance
(as of October 22, 2024)
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we rely on our donors to help us maintain, program, and build the Park.
Make a Piece of the Park Yours
Consider a naming opportunity. The Community Commons will offer a host of new, prominent naming opportunities in addition to other sites throughout the Park. There are also a host of programs and scholarships that provide essential support and opportunities for our community.
Make the Park Part of Your Estate Planning
Ensure your impact by including Mill River Park Collaborative in your planned giving. Options include making a bequest to the Park, naming the Park as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy, or establishing a charitable trust. Tax advantages associated with each option vary, so we recommend you consult with your tax advisor prior to making a giving plan.
Contribute to the Arthur Selkowitz Sustaining Fund
This important long-term fund, created in honor of Founding Board Chair Arthur Selkowitz, will ensure Mill River Park Collaborative consistently has the resources to support the ongoing maintenance, programming, and beautification of the Park!
Your support will help assure that Mill River Park Collaborative continues to grow and remain a vibrant part of downtown Stamford. For more information, send an email to development@millriverpark.org
