By Bob Giaquinto
The successful 2025 RMA picnic took place on Friday, September 12, at Greenwich Point. The annual event took place in the clambake area of this phenomenally beautiful park with its aquatic views. Upon arriving, guests were greeted with coffee and donuts. RMA members and guests were challenged with an array of games. Picnic Chairman Michael LaGamma, assisted by a large team of helpers, did an outstanding job putting together the gathering. The picnic was scheduled for Wednesday, but because of weather, was postponed until Friday.
Many members brought their wives, and enjoyed games including horseshoes, giant toppling timbers, Bean Bag Bucketz, corn hole toss and ladder toss, as well as participating in a raffle with five lucky attendees winning $100 each.
Lunch was supplied by the Upper Crust Bagel Company of Old Greenwich and featured a variety of tasty sandwiches and wraps plus potato, macaroni, fruit and greens salads. A delicious selection of ten desserts came from the Neri Bakery in Port Chester. Throughout the picnic, liquid refreshments including red and white wine, sangria, a choice of many beers, soda, and water were consumed.
Approximately 150 attended. The picnic has been an annual RMA tradition since the earliest days of the organization, in the 1950s.
The RMA’s next presentation, “The Story of Audubon in Greenwich” by Rochelle Thomas, is scheduled for 11 AM on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. RMA presentations are held at Christ Church Greenwich, Parish Hall, 254 E. Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830.
Just what does Audubon do in our community? How can I learn more about what it offers me and my family? RMA invites you to learn about this long time Greenwich organization and what it has offered us for close to 82 years. Rochelle Thomas, the Director of Greenwich Audubon, will speak about the many facets of Audubon locally.
The Greenwich Audubon Center’s main facility is located on Riversville Road, and offers seven miles of trails. Along with the stewardship of the main 285-acre property, Audubon also manages seven local sanctuaries with a total of 400 acres. Not just for birders and bird watching, Greenwich Audubon serves as a “natural” educational resource for people of all ages. It provides information about natural habitats, coordinates with community groups to educate the public on conservation issues and provides programs for people to better appreciate the outdoors. A good example is the upcoming Annual Hawk Watch to be held on September 27. Participants will see wild raptors up close and observe, along with experienced birders, the fall migration of birds in our area.
Rochelle Thomas is the current Director of the Greenwich Audubon Center, a program and office of the National Audubon Society. She previously served as Director of Strategy, Planning and Operations in the Digital Futures Institute at Columbia University and was President of the Linnaean Society of New York. In 2012, she joined Wild Bird Fund, New York City’s only wildlife rehabilitation center.
Since joining Greenwich Audubon in 2023, Rochelle has overseen the restoration and reopening of the Center’s 1746 Mead House, the restoration of the Oneida Saltmarsh Sanctuary and the installation of the Siwanoy Demonstration Forest. She holds a master’s degree in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology from Columbia University.
To stream the presentation by Rochelle Thomas at 11 AM on Wednesday, September 24, click on https://bit.ly/30IBj21. This presentation will also be available on local public access TV channels, Verizon FIOS channel 24 and Optimum (Cablevision) channel 1310.
Note: The views expressed in these presentations are those of the speakers. They are not intended to represent the views of the RMA or its members.
RMA speaker presentations are presented as a community service at no cost to in-person or Zoom attendees, regardless of gender. Any member of the public who would like to receive a weekly email announcement of future speakers should send a request to members@greenwichrma.org. The RMA urges all eligible individuals to consider becoming a member of our great organization, and thereby enjoy all the available fellowship, volunteer, and community service opportunities which the RMA offers to its members. For further information, go to https://greenwichrma.org/, or contact info@greenwichrma.org.
