Volunteers are the life source of the Jay Estate Gardens. Caroline Wallach recently spoke Sarah Rivas and Karen Matrunich to learn more about their dedication to our park!
Name: Sarah Rivas
Hometown: Rye, NY
Occupation/volunteer interests: I am a senior at Rye Country Day and I am very interested in history and politics. I am also an intern at Rye City Hall.
Hobbies/passions: I love history and I love to read, I am currently writing a paper on Cuban-American political motivations.
Why do you volunteer for Jay Heritage Center? I became involved with Jay Heritage Center because I wanted to become more involved in the community. I grew up aware about the Center’s presence in Rye but didn’t know a lot about it.
What has been your favorite experience at Jay Heritage? I love giving people tours of the mansion and the estate. I enjoy teaching them more about the interesting history of this place.
What is one thing you think makes Jay Heritage Center special? I think the community that visits this place is passionate about American history and they always seem very excited to discover more about Jay Heritage Center.
Do you have a favorite spot at the Jay Estate? I love Room 2 in the gardens. The reflecting pool and Japanese tree are very special.
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Name: Karen Matrunich
Hometown: Linden, NJ
Occupation/volunteer interests: I am a tour guide at Kykuit at the Rockefeller Estate.
Hobbies/passions: I love the outdoors and hiking. I also work with literacy volunteers.
Why do you volunteer for Jay Heritage Center? I volunteer in the Jay gardens because I enjoy being outdoors in nature. I started volunteering during Covid because so many other places were closed. It’s a beautiful place and I love to help people see this place with a different perspective. There are so many stories to tell here.
What has been your favorite experience at Jay Heritage? I love talking with the many visitors who come through and I love to learn with them. I also enjoy working with the other volunteers.
What is one thing you think makes Jay Heritage Center special? The history of the landscape here is very interesting and I think that people appreciate this place when they know more about it. When they know more, they will be more passionate about preserving it.
Do you have a favorite spot at the Jay Estate? This is a tough question. I love standing at the top of the wooden stairs and looking over the gardens.