Friends of Willow Park Inc NY

09/26/2026

09/25/2026

Sodus Harvest Fest parade!!!

09/22/2026

Halloween Kick-off Event Next Sunday, September 27 at 11am.

Parade - Begins at11am; Route: Begins at 4 way stop, down Bay St, Greig St. Loop, and ending at the Ball Field.

Join us at the Ball Field for FREE pumpkin decorating, Halloween games and crafts, prizes, C***r & Donuts.

This is a free event and fun for all ages.

08/20/2026

Help local students start the school year with confidence!

Wayne County Community Schools is proud to partner with Rochester Regional Health for a community-wide Backpack Drive benefiting local children and families.

We're collecting new backpacks, school supplies, and other essential items to help ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed. Donations will be accepted through August 21, 2026.

Whether it's a backpack, notebooks, pencils, or a gift card, every donation makes a difference.

📍 Donations can be dropped off at Newark Pediatrics (Medical Office Building, 1200 Driving Park Ave., Newark), or arrangements can be made for pickup via email.

Together, we can help remove barriers to learning and give every child the opportunity to thrive. Thank you for supporting families in need in our community!

08/02/2026

🌳🎉This past Friday we officially submitted our New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) Grant application for the Willow Park Revitalization Project!

The EPF Grant is a highly competitive New York State matching grant that helps communities improve parks and public spaces. If awarded, it would be a tremendous investment in Willow Park—but it also requires a significant local match.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who wrote letters of support, donated, volunteered, attended our fundraisers, shared our posts, and believed in this project. Your support helped us reach this important milestone.

Now we wait... 🤞

But our work isn't over. We'll continue fundraising because every dollar raised not only helps meet our local match, but also demonstrates our community's commitment to making this vision a reality. Our fundraising efforts will also help insure continued stewardship of Willow Park.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we're building something special for generations to come. 💙

07/26/2026

Friends of Willow Park extends our heartfelt thanks to Lindsey and the entire Schleyer family for allowing us to be part of today's beautiful dedication honoring Deveda "Devvie" Petschke Schleyer.

It was an honor to celebrate the life of a woman so dearly loved. We hope this memorial plaque will serve as a lasting reminder of Grame Devvie-- a place where, laughter, stories, and quiet moments of reflection will continue for years to come! 🌳💚

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"Today, we gather to dedicate this beautiful red maple in memory of Deveda “Devvie” Petschke Schleyer.

Although I never had the privilege of meeting Devvie, I have come to understand what Willow Park meant to her through the stories her family has shared. In their loving remembrance, they described her as someone who enjoyed the simple joys of life—sitting on a park bench, resting in the shade of the trees, watching children play, and taking in the peace and beauty of this special place.

It is especially meaningful that this memorial is a red maple that has stood in Willow Park for more than fifty years. As Friends of Willow Park began planning the park’s revitalization, we knew this magnificent tree had to be preserved. It has quietly witnessed generations of families gathering here, just as Devvie once did.

On behalf of the Friends of Willow Park and the Village of Sodus Point, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Devvie’s family for this generous memorial gift. Their kindness not only honors someone they deeply loved, but also helps preserve a place that brought her so much happiness.

We also understand that Devvie was known for her warm humor, her kind spirit, and her sense of adventure—qualities that made her a joy to those who knew her and a bright presence in their lives.

May this tree continue to offer shade, beauty, and comfort to all who visit. And may those who sit beneath its branches be reminded that the greatest legacies are often found in life’s simplest moments—a quiet afternoon on a park bench, the laughter of children, the love of family, and the lasting gift of leaving something beautiful behind.

To Devvie’s family, thank you for allowing Willow Park to share in her memory. It is an honor to help preserve both this remarkable tree and the legacy of a woman who loved this park so dearly.

May God bless this tree, this park, and all who gather here.
-- Laurie Verbridge

07/20/2026

🌿Friends of Willow Park extends our heartfelt gratitude to the businesses, organizations, and individuals whose generosity and belief in our mission are helping transform Willow Park into a place where everyone belongs. Your financial support, in-kind donations, volunteer efforts, and encouragement are making a lasting difference for children, families, seniors, and visitors throughout our community. Together, we are creating a beautiful, accessible waterfront park that will serve generations to come. Thank you for investing in the future of Willow Park and for helping make this vision a reality.💚

07/11/2026

In case you missed it!

💛 Thank You, Sodus Point! 💛

What an incredible community we have!

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who purchased golf balls, donated, volunteered, and cheered us on during today's Golf Ball Drop fundraiser. Your support helps move the Friends of Willow Park one step closer to creating a beautiful, inclusive park that will serve generations of families, residents, and visitors.

We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Neighborhood Association of Sodus Point - NASPfor once again hosting the annual Kiddie Parade. This wonderful tradition brings our community together every Fourtht of July, and we're especially grateful to the association members who also helped sell golf balls in support of Willow Park.

Thank you to the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum for generously allowing us to use their grounds to stage our truck for the golf ball drop. We truly appreciate your continued partnership and support of community events.

And now for our lucky winners! 🎉

🥇 1st Place: Ball #232 – Alice Bill
🥈 2nd Place: Ball #100 – Corinne Bentley
🥉 3rd Place: Ball #135 – Tammy & Donna

Congratulations to our winners, and thank you again to everyone who participated. Every golf ball purchased is another investment in the future of Willow Park and in the future of our community.

We couldn't do it without you! ❤️🌳