GREEN HOMES & GREAT ESTATES
a House Tour to Benefit the
Wolf Conservation Center
On June 10, some of Northern Westchester’s most stunning and innovative private properties were open to the public for the first-ever WCC House Tour! Although very different from each other, the homes all had one thing in common: All the homeowners were animal lovers and conservationists who were eager to open their doors to help the WCC raise money for our future Education Center on eight acres adjacent to the Leon Levy Preserve.
Over 100 guests and volunteers started their tour at “Birdstone Farms” -- a wonderful working farm with a charming hill-top home called "Honey Hollow" -- and then set out on 6 different routes to visit the other stops on the tour: “Camp Run-A-Muk” -- a 68-acre family estate with a network of ponds and lakes and an Adirondack-style custom-crafted home; “Patriot’s Way” -- a classic Georgian brick mansion in the heart of historic Ridgefield; “Stonecrest” -- a lovingly restored Queen Anne style home; "The Octagon" -- a modern, completely green family home on Lake Truesdale; "The Belfry" -- a 1930s hill-top mansion overlooking the Croton Reservoir; and, of course, the two historic buildings that will become the new WCC Education Center -- where visitors could preview our renovation plans for the buildings and the site.
The Bedford Post (the wonderful restaurant and yoga center co-owned by Richard Gere and his wife Carey Lowell) offered gift certificates for lunch -- with a portion of proceeds going to the WCC, and WCC merchandise and adopt-a-pup raffle tickets were on sale -- raising additional money for our two month-old red wolf pups!
The weather cooperated and a great time was had by all. "I've been on many house tours," commented long-time WCC supporter Mary Ciardullo, "and this was the best by far!" Thanks to all the home owners and volunteers who made the day such a success. Looks like this may need to become another eagerly anticipated annual WCC event!