Important LHF updates on COVID-19

April 10, 2020| Community, Events, LHF Environmental & Cultural Center

By: Lake Hopatcong Foundation

No doubt you are all grappling with the many changes that have taken place as the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. We at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation have been navigating these changes as well, and have several important announcements to share. 

In following the Center for Disease Control and state advisories, the following adjustments have been made to the LHF office, programs, and events. 

• The LHF office and Lake Hopatcong Environmental & Cultural Center are closed to visitors indefinitely. However, our staff is still working remotely and meeting regularly online to continue our work on behalf of Lake Hopatcong and its surrounding community!
   
• The native gardens at the Lake Hopatcong Foundation Environmental and Cultural Center are open and we welcome visitors to stroll or relax in our gardens. Please follow all current social distancing recommendations. |
   
• Our Innagural volunteer orientations scheduled for Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14 were canceled and all materials were sent out electronically.  More information can be found HERE. 
   
• Our winter program "Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis," scheduled for Thursday, March 19, has been postponed. We are working to reschedule this event. 
   
• The LHF Annual Meeting, scheduled for Friday, April 3, has been postponed.  We are working to reschedule this event.
   
• Our National Volunteer week activities scheduled for the week of April 19 - 25 will be moved to a new week to be determined. 
   
• The annual LHF Adopt-A-Road Community Cleanup, scheduled for Saturday, April 25, has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2020 (World Cleanup Day!)
   
• Our spring program, "Natives – For Your Garden, For the Planet," scheduled for Thursday, April 30, has been postponed. We are working to try to present this program online.
   
• The LHF Native Plant sale, scheduled for Saturday, May 2 was adjusted to an online sale with curbside pickup on Saturday, May 23. Find out more HERE.   
   
• The Lake Hopatcong Block Party will NOT be held on Saturday, May 9 at Hopatcong State Park. However, we are pleased to announce that we have secured a new date for a fall Lake Hopatcong Block Party to be held on Saturday, October 10. This new date falls on the same weekend as our annual Lake Loop, scheduled for Sunday, October 11, creating an exciting weekend with multiple ways to bring the community together to enjoy and support New Jersey's largest lake.  

• Our spring program, "Boating and Public Safety on Lake Hopatcong," scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, has been postponed. We are working to reschedule this program. 

• Our spring program, "Release the Ladybugs!" scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2020 has been postponed. We are working to reschedule this program. 

• We are making preparations to gather with neighbors and friends at our annual LHF Gala Scheduled for Saturday, July 25 at the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club. However, we are researching options to postpone the date or to present a virtual gala that can be enjoyed from the comfort of home by offering auction items and experiences online, if needed. 

None of these decisions are easy or made lightly, but we believe they are in the best interest of keeping our community as healthy and safe as possible. Thank you for your understanding, and know that we will share more details as we have them. 

Please take good care of yourselves. These are crazy times, but they are also an opportunity for us all to rise to the challenge to look out for one another. So far, we appreciate everyone’s efforts in that regard and are very much looking forward to a time (hopefully soon!) when this crisis is behind us.