Legislators Celebrate Local Environmental Advocate at 15th Annual Kayak Regatta, Beach Dedication Ceremony

State Senator Paul Formica (R-East Lyme) and State Representative Kathleen McCarty (R-Waterford) attended the Save the River Save the Hills Kayak Regatta in Waterford on Sunday, August 12 and celebrated the dedication of the new Grimsey Beach in honor of environmental advocate and Save the River Save the Hills President Fred Grimsey.

The 15th annual kayak regatta was held in honor of Niantic River Appreciation Day. This year, the event included a special ceremony in which the town of Waterford dedicated a portion of the shoreline at Oswegatchie Road as Grimsey Beach.

“The Niantic River and surrounding environment are beautiful resources we must work together to protect and respect,” said Senator Formica. “This annual event is an important way to bring the community together to celebrate our natural resources and preservation efforts. This year’s event was particularly special for the well-deserved recognition of Fred Grimsey. By dedicating this beach to Fred, the town of Waterford has found a way to recognize the incredible work Fred has done for our community over the years, and to memorialize his compassion and dedication to our environment for today, tomorrow and future generations who will enjoy Grimsey Beach.”

“We are all so grateful to Fred for his decades of passionate work preserving the environment and the river,” said Representative McCarty. “The Oswegatchie Hills provides our region with an invaluable ecosystem. I am proud to know Fred and to advocate along with Save the River, Save the Hills for the preservation of this beautiful area. It is very fitting to dedicate this beach on Oswegatchie Road as Grimsey Beach to him not only as a thank you, but as a reminder of what Fred has accomplished in our own community.”

Fred Grimsey has been a long time local advocate for protecting the environment and was founder of Save the River Save the Hills, a non-profit grassroots environmental organization based on the Niantic River Estuary in Waterford & East Lyme. The organization is dedicated to preserving the health of the Niantic River Estuary, its Watershed and the natural beauty of the Oswegatchie Hills by operating a pump out boat on the Niantic River, conducting water quality testing, and advocating for the preservation of the Oswegatchie Hills.

For more information visit: http://www.savetheriversavethehills.org