Community Conservation Award Honorees from Friends of Glenwood Lake Park and Glenwood Lake Association with WLT President, Lori Ensinger. Photo Credit: Andrea Ceraso

Release Date: June 7, 2022

Bedford Hills, NY—Westchester Land Trust (WLT) held its Annual Benefit in-person on June 4th after two years of virtual and small gatherings and raised $435,000 through ticket sales, donations, a lively paddle raise, and a “Wine for Wildlands” wine pull fundraiser. The event was hosted at the beautiful Katonah home of Angelina and Monte Lipman and featured performances by Noah Kahan and Joy Oladokun. Funds generated at the event will be used to support WLT’s efforts to conserve land, increase access to the outdoors, and strengthen local food systems.

Angelina and Monte Lipman. Photo Credit: Peter T. Michaelis

“We were so pleased to be able to gather together in person for our 2022 Benefit to celebrate our Youth Conservationist Honorees, Community Conservation Honorees, and the 550 acres we’ve protected as a community over the past three years,” said Lori Ensinger, President of WLT. “We’re grateful to our gracious hosts, Angelina and Monte Lipman, for offering their beautiful property for this special evening and we thank all who contributed to make this event such a resounding success.”

“Monte and I are passionate about protecting the natural areas that sustain clean water and air for our children and generations to come,” said Angelina Lipman, who hosted the event alongside her husband Monte Lipman. “We were inspired to see the community come together in support of the Westchester Land Trust and its conservation work.”

Joy Oladokun, Angelina and Monte Lipman, Noah Kahan. Photo Credit: Peter T. Michaelis

Monte and Angelina Lipman are an inspiringly successful duo with a deep dedication to protecting land for future generations. Monte is the Founder and CEO of Republic Records and is known for steering the label’s growth, alongside his brother Avery Lipman (Founder and COO, Republic Records), from a small independent company launched in 1995 to the nation’s top record label. Today, Republic Records represents chart-topping artists, including Ariana Grande, Drake, John Mellencamp, Nicki Minaj, Pearl Jam, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, and more. Angelina is a research psychologist with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a master’s and dual-PhD from New York University.

The Community Conservation Award was given to Glenwood Lake Association and Friends of Glenwood Lake, two groups that were instrumental in protecting the last remaining undeveloped parcels around Glenwood Lake in New Rochelle.

Westchester Land Trust’s Youth Conservationist Awards were given to two budding naturalists from Westchester County, Rhys Healy (Armonk) and Halle Vernon (Pound Ridge). In the fall of 2021 Rhys Healy designed an independent project collecting data on the white turtlehead plant, which is the sole native host of the regionally rare Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillar, at WLT’s Pine Croft Meadow Preserve in Waccabuc.

Halle Vernon got involved with WLT when covid hit in the spring of 2020. Since then, she has helped with projects on WLT preserves, spanning from invasive management, mapping, split log bridge construction, trail clearing, native plant monitoring, and chainsaw work (after obtaining proper safety certification).

The event was sponsored by Glenmede: Investment and Wealth Management Services, Houlihan Lawrence, Cerity Partners, Ginnel Real Estate, Aker Advisors, Beam Suntory, Bedford & New Canaan Magazine, Floral Petals of Westchester, Brittany Bromley Interiors, Greenwich Tent Company, Luminous Designs, Nod Hill Brewery, Republic Records, and Sterling Affair.