I must say I enjoyed my time at MapleFest. As always, having the chance to get off campus and into the Ithaca community is an enjoyable experience. Over 500+ Ithacans came out to celebrate nature and the art of making maple syrup. It was held at the Cayuga Nature Preserve, where they had various information about the different species found in the area surrounding us. Some species I knew about, but others were complete surprises. Some animals were taxidermied and posed around the center, while others that had been rescued were housed and lived outside. Seeing and learning about these species helped to give me a greater appreciation for the nature in the area instead of being wrapped up in just school life, it reminded me to take a step back once in a while and enjoy my surroundings.

I really enjoyed volunteering at Maplefest because I got to explore somewhere I would have never gone otherwise. The Nature Center was a super fun place to be, and everyone I met who worked there was very friendly and willing to explain things to me. It also felt good to be part of a community that organizes around their own customs. You could find any type of person there, old and young alike. And there we a ton of activities for everyone to engage with. But my favorite part was meeting other people who live in Rose. We took selfies and pictures with the animals, talked about Cornell and Ithaca, and even bought soap and got our spines checked. And now i have a couple of new friends 🙂

I enjoyed my time at Maplefest.   The people of Ithaca joined together for a fun day of socializing and learning about nature.  There was a huge vat in which maple tree sap was being boiled to make maple syrup.  This was fun to watch.  As a volunteer,  I was there to do what was necessary make sure the event ran smoothly.  I had a good time getting off campus and meeting Ithaca residents.  The event reminded me of a similar nature preserve near my home.  Every year my parents would take me to the nature preserve where we would picnic and spend time with family.  Those of some of my earliest memories.  It’s funny how communities so different and so far apart are actually so similar.   It’s great that a community has an event like Maplefest in which to come together.

My experience at Ithaca’s annual Maplefest was an eye opening experience about the Ithaca community. Over 500+ people attended the event and showed their support for the Cayuga Nature Center. The nature center itself reaped many cool exhibits and even animals such as a beautiful fox and many indigenous species of birds and fish.

Seeing all the people there really made me feel more connected with the community around us, as many families were enjoying their time there. Living on Cornell campus can sometimes feel like a bubble, and I find that students frequently forget that Ithaca is still a town with its own people. Overall, I’m glad I volunteered at this event. I not only got the opportunity to connect with other Rose Scholars, but also people of the town of Ithaca as well.