Instead of jumping into the ice cold waters of Coney Island on New Year’s Day as the Polar Bear Club does, people here meet at Staten Island’s Great Kills Park, a part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, and walk a few miles along the beach with a stop at Crooke’s Point, a rock jetty at the halfway point, for a toast before continuing on through the scenic views of beach, sky, clouds, trees, sand, gulls, houses, beautiful waters and boats by the rocks at the end of their journey where they all eat, drink and talk about the coming environmental year.

This walk is sponsored by the Natural Resources Protection Association and the Protectors of the Pine Oak Woods and joined by people from many Staten Island groups, as well as, other brave souls from anywhere else.

They have been doing this through snow, rain, sleet, cold, very cold, very, very cold and still very, very, very, very cold times.

To find out more about any of their activities throughout the year, go to:

Natural Resources Protection Association

nrpa.com

Protectors of the Pine Oak Woods

ppow@siprotectors.org

Video by:  The Environment TV