I have lived in the Catskills my entire life, growing up in Andes, NY, and now residing in East Meredith. I was raised with an appreciation for the outdoors and have always felt connected to the Catskills. As a kid, a lot of my time was spent wandering through the woods in the summer and skiing down the mountains in the winter. As an adult, I still enjoy many of the things that felt magical to me about the Catskills as a child. I ski with my husband most weekends in the winter, and in the summer we grow a big vegetable garden and love kayaking on the Delaware River. More recently, I’ve gotten into natural dyes, growing and foraging plants in the area to color the fabric I use to make quilts. I also greatly enjoy birdwatching in all four seasons of the Catskills. None of this could exist without thoughtful conservation and development within the Catskills. I am grateful for the Catskill Center and proud to be part of this work.