Destination Adventure…Check-in to Fun with Suffolk County’s Parks Passports

With summer breaks now just weeks away for the nearly 250,000 school aged children in Suffolk County, kids are being encouraged to use the sometimes idle days to follow the mystique and intrigue of adventure packed excursions found within our region’s parks and open spaces. From the grounds of one of those exotic destinations – Old Field Farm County Park in Setauket – elected and parks officials today launched the Suffolk County Parks Passport program that challenges children to become world class explorers by traveling to each of 25 locations and earning badges for their travels.

The program is a the creation of Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) who in 2015 sponsored legislation establishing a County-wide Parks Passport focusing exclusively on Suffolk County managed parkland. While developing that initiative, Legislator Hahn devised an expanded pilot program inclusive of all of State, County, Town and Village public lands and private parks organizations within her Legislative District. T

“My first intention was to implement this as a County program with the goal of motivating children to be go outdoors, be active and get excited about all of the natural wonders that await them on the other side of their doors,” said Legislator Hahn. “However, as the program developed, it became obvious that focusing solely on County parkland left out so many other great locations that are managed by our in State, Town and Village partners. For a complete and robust program, I knew, it was essential to include these treasures as well.”

Inside the Passports are details for each of the parks, its location and what activities the “explorer” can participate in while visiting. For the program, Parks Explores are asked to check-in at each location by finding a Suffolk County Parks Passport Check-in sign, then either scanning an attached QR code with an intent accessible mobile device or, when possible, entering the web address listed on the sign into a web browser. Upon “check-in” the explorer will earn a badge for visiting that park and is asked to then print it out and paste into his or her Passport in the appropriate location. Explorers will be presented with badges in both color and black and white for each park and are asked to use the version that fits his or her personal preference.

Passport booklets can be obtained from Legislator Hahn by calling (631) 854-1650 or self-printed by visiting: www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Portals/17/Passport/Suffolk_County_Parks_Passport.pdf for the printable version. For those explorers wishing to go completely paperless, Legislator Hahn has also created an entirely digital option that will issue Open Badges – visual tokens of achievement that combine to tell a cohesive story about one’s learning – that can be downloaded by the recipient or uploaded to any Open Badges-compatible service. Paperless badges will be issued after registered participants snap a photo of a site’s Suffolk County Parks Passport Check-in sign and send it to kara.hahn@suffolkcountyny.gov. To learn more about that option visit:

www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Portals/17/Passport/Suffolk_County_Parks_Paperless_Passport_About.pdf.

When the booklet is complete, participants are encouraged to either send or stop into Legislator Hahn’s office to receive an official Parks Passport Completion Certificate. Submitted Passports will be returned to the explorer.

“I am convinced children are going to love it. “And what they love, they will be eager to do again and again!” Legislator Hahn continued. “My hope is that once they get started, they will be instilled with a sense of adventure to continue exploring not only the parks included in this program, but the greater outdoors and all of the beauty, wonder and excitement that it holds. We simply cannot live full lives in virtual reality.”

“Suffolk County is home to over 46,000 acres of park land, 200 historical sites and 100 public beaches within its boundaries" said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. "Not only will the Suffolk County Parks Passport initiative provide children and residents with the opportunity to explore our historical parks, but promote the natural beauty that surrounds us.

A sentiment echoed by Suffolk County Parks Commissioner Philip Berdolt, “Suffolk County is not only a great place to visit, but it is a great place to call home, largely in part due to the beautiful parks and beaches that surround us. The Passport Program provides a great tool for people to use in accessing Suffolk County Parks, providing an incentive and opportunity for children and their families to learn about all the parks and what each one offers.”

According to Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant, a partnering entity with four parks included in the program “Creating a passport to our County Parks creates an interesting, summer family activity providing incentives for people to discover and explore the MANY parks throughout Suffolk County - and there are MANY! BRAVO to Legislator Hahn!”

With so much to explore and natural beauty to see within these parks, let’s not waste a moment longer…it’s time to begin the adventure and get out there and explore!