AT OTISVILLE COUNTRY FAIR, CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN DELIVERS $1,000,000 FOR 4-H PARK TO EXPAND TO YEAR-ROUND OPERATIONS AND ADD NEW COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
At Otisville Country Fair, Congressman Pat Ryan Delivers $1,000,000 for 4-H Park to Expand to Year-Round Operations and Add New Community Programs
New infrastructure enhancements will allow Otisville 4-H Park to operate year-round and expand programming and educational opportunities available to the community
OTISVILLE, NY – Yesterday, as Otisville families enjoyed the annual Country Fair at the Otisville 4-H Park, Congressman Pat Ryan delivered $1,000,000 in federal funds to expand the Park and enhance its infrastructure for year-round use. The funds will help the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County (CCEOC) to construct a new livestock barn and a camping area for scout and youth groups, install new lighting and paving, winterize core infrastructure, and extend water and electric hookups at the Park. Currently, the infrastructure at the Park limits it to seasonal and daytime use only. The new infrastructure and additional operating capacity will allow the CCEOC to increase its educational programming, community events, and youth opportunities that it offers at the 4-H Park.
“The Otisville 4-H Park is a staple in the lives of Orange County families – it’s where we celebrate and appreciate the tremendous contributions of our farmers and agricultural community, strengthen connections with friends and neighbors, and teach and empower our young people to pursue their passion for farming and livestock,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “I’m proud that this funding will help the Cornell Cooperative Extension expand the Park so that more of these critical and formative opportunities for our kids and families can happen year-round. Every day, I’ll keep working to deliver the resources that profoundly deserving and innovative initiatives like these need to enrich the lives of Hudson Valley families.”
“The Education Center and 4-H Park is a cherished local asset, poised for enhancements with Community Project Funding. Expanding its infrastructure, and paving the way for year-round utilization, will unlock the Park’s full potential,” said Lucy Joyce, Executive Director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension, Orange County. “Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County is grateful for Congressman Ryan’s dedication and looks forward to serving even more individuals through expanded programming opportunities.”
Ryan nominated the Otisville 4-H Park expansion as one of his Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Community Project Funding requests, a highly competitive process in which Congress allocates federal funding for local infrastructure projects demonstrating great need and community benefit. Congressman Ryan secured nearly $17 million for his FY24 Projects, which included the Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, the Dutchess County Youth Opportunity Union (YOU), Family Services, Inc. of Poughkeepsie, the Tivoli Volunteer Fire Department, the Rifton Fire District, Rumshock Veterans Village in Orange County, and the Chester Agricultural Center, as well as critical water infrastructure projects for the City of Middletown, the Town of Wappinger, the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson, the Village of Kiryas Joel, the Village of Millerton, and the Village of Warwick.
Congressman Ryan has proudly fought for agricultural communities, especially NY-18 dairy and specialty crop farmers. Following a series of tours of local NY-18 family-owned farms, Ryan signed on to cosponsor the Local Farms and Food Act, the FARM Act, as well as legislation to promote funding for specialty crop research. A member of the House Dairy, Cheese, and Specialty Crop caucuses, he is a proud cosponsor of the Dairy Farm Resiliency Act and the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act. Following damaging freeze events in May of 2023, Ryan fought for USDA assistance to affected grape and apple farmers. After directly hearing from NY-18 about their priorities for the Farm Bill, Ryan spearheaded initiatives for the Bill including a constituent proposal to support farmers while supplying our food banks, as well as increased funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI).
Since 1915 Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County (CCEOC) has been making a difference in the lives of residents by utilizing the research-based resources of Cornell University to positively affect Agriculture, Families and Youth, Environment, and Economic Development in Orange County. The CCEOC operates the 54 acre Otisville 4-H Park, allowing the CCEOC to significantly increase educational outreach, while providing a state-of-the-art facility for Orange County and surrounding communities. Educational programs showcase youth development, adult and family workshops and/or agriculturally focused opportunities.
The project funded by the $1,000,000 secured by Congressman Ryan includes winterizing a barn, installing lights on the outdoor arena, adding street lights throughout the Park, extending water and electric hookups, construction of a livestock barn and development of a camping area for 4-H’ers, Scouts, and other youth groups. Currently, the 4-H Park is primarily used seasonally and in the daytime. The benefits of the requested infrastructure improvements will increase the number of activities and types of activities exponentially. These activities can be supported and can extend operations into the evening and nighttime use year-round.
Learn more about the CCEOC’s full vision for the 4-H Park here.
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