People’s Arc of Suffolk celebrates grand opening of new Sayville nature center

People’s Arc of Suffolk celebrated the grand opening of its new Nature Community Center in Sayville with a community-wide event and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, July 9, expanding its offering of inclusive services in Suffolk County. The opening event featured tours of the site and program demonstrations.

“Sayville is proud of its horticultural heritage and community, so we will be building programs for our people around that,” said John McGuigan, CEO of People’s Arc of Suffolk. “We’ll be growing plants, we’ll be selling plants, and we’ll be looking to help the people we support with learning new skills.”

The indoor/outdoor learning environment, made possible through a collaboration with St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and Spirit of Huntington Art Center, is designed to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities experience nature-based discovery and foster community connection. Participants will engage in programs focused on gardening, wildlife exploration, conservation, art, and outdoor play.

“This is about exploring, enriching and thriving through a program based on nature,” McGuigan said. “The people we serve will be helping the local community, and building relationships with the local community.”