LIBERTY — Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Sullivan proudly marked a decade of advancing community health and wellness with a 10-Year Anniversary Celebration and Awards Event on May 20, held at the Extension Education Center in Liberty, New York. More than 50 people attended representing community partners, school districts, municipalities, and daycare providers from across Sullivan County.

The celebration highlighted 10 years of collaboration and progress in creating healthier, more active communities. Attendees reflected on 10 years of collaboration and progress made through partnerships focused on improving access to physical activity and nutritious food environments, as well as strengthening school and childcare wellness policies.

The Town of Fallsburg, Town of Mamakating, Village of Liberty, and the Village of Liberty Police Department each received special recognition for initiatives that have strengthened walkability infrastructure, and opportunities for active living and healthy eating throughout the region.

The Town of Fallsburg received the event’s highest award, a check for $48,890 to support the continuation of its Active-Friendly Routes to Everyday Destinations (AFRED) projects. These efforts aim to connect residents to essential locations like schools, parks, and residential and business districts through safe and accessible walking and biking routes.

The Town of Mamakating and Village of Liberty each received $10,000 for enhancing and sustaining AFRED and Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects.

These projects included improvements to Complete Streets design, expanded and enhanced alternative forms of transportation and initiatives promoting SRTS, AFRED, and Vision Zero to ensure children and families can safely walk and bike within their communities. In addition, awardees were recognized for advancing community nutrition through concession stand and café improvements as it relates to the nutritional quality of foods offered in public spaces.

The following seven (7) school districts were recognized and received sustainability awards of $2,500 each to expand their wellness offerings: Eldred, Fallsburg, Liberty, Monticello, Rockland, Sullivan West, Tri-Valley, and Sullivan BOCES.

In partnership with Sullivan 180, local schools have introduced creative and inclusive equipment and programming designed to keep youth active during and after the school day. Additionally, schools invested in mulch for playgrounds to improve safety and usability, math and movement sensory stickers in school hallway stencils for the playground to encourage active play, and innovative methods to integrate nutrition and agriculture into learning.

The following eleven (11) daycare providers were recognized for advancing early childhood wellness policies and promoting environments that support healthy development and received sustainability awards of $1,000: Babies n Tots Daycare, Bright Eyes Daycare, Devon’s Daycare, J&C First Steps Daycare, Jessica’s Daycare, Kidz Clubb Daycare, Land of the Little People, Rachel’s Angels Daycare, Treehouse Daycare, and Valley Daycare.

In collaboration with the Sullivan County Child Care Council, updated wellness policies emphasize regular physical activity, nutritious meals, and reducing sedentary time for young children. Providers invested in new indoor/outdoor climbing structures, as well as a variety of movement-based toys and equipment designed to strengthen gross motor skills. These enhancements help build coordination, balance, and physical confidence in very young children, serving as a critical precursor to early learning and long-term academic success. In addition, providers have installed outdoor raised bed planters, gardens, seeds, child-sized garden tools, and are integrating lessons about food, growing vegetables, and the environment with active play.

“This milestone celebration is a testament to the power of collaboration,” said CCE Sullivan Executive Director Colleen Monaghan. “Over the past 10 years, our partners have demonstrated a deep commitment to building environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice. From municipal infrastructure to school and early childhood initiatives, the collective impact is meaningful and lasting.”

The event underscored the importance of cross-sector partnerships in driving sustainable community change, with participants sharing ideas, success stories, and a renewed commitment to future initiatives. CCE Sullivan looks forward to continuing its work to support healthier communities across the county through education, technical assistance, and collaborative programming.

CHSC funding was supported by Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC), a five-year New York State Department of Health funded initiative, helping to build stronger, healthier communities.