Spirit, sense of wonder will live on
Memory of local teen inspires climate change exhibit at Greenwich Point
GREENWICH — During his short life, Luke Meyers of Old Greenwich loved nature and exploring the environment.
Luke died at the age of 15 in 2019 from brain cancer. But his spirit and sense of wonder will live on at the Bruce Museum, where Luke was a volunteer at the at the museum’s Seaside Center at the at the Innis Arden Cottage at Greenwich Point Park.
An interactive, multimedia exhibit station will be established at the center, called “Luke’s Wish Climate Change
“At the Seaside Center, where Luke volunteered, we are close to sea level and thus close to ground zero for climate change. Sea level rise can seem abstract, but when you are standing literally a stone’s throw from the ocean, it will make the reality of what we are facing more startling.” Daniel Ksepka, curator of science at the Bruce
Exhibit,” which will inform visitors about rising sea levels predicted by different models.
“At the Seaside Center, where Luke volunteered, we are close to sea level and thus close to ground zero for climate change,” said Daniel Ksepka, curator of science at the Bruce. “Sea level rise can seem abstract, but when you are standing literally a stone’s throw from the ocean, it will make the reality of what we are facing more startling.”
The Meyers family is cooperating with the development of the project, and it is also has a public component for fundraising.
“Of course, showing the effects of climate change doesn’t really make a difference unless we convince people to do something about it. Luke was passionate about making a difference, and so a major part of the exhibit will be visualizing the impact of actions in
reducing carbon emissions,” Kspeka wrote in announcing the project.
“Many people don’t have a good grasp on how effective different choices like reducing flying and driving, installing solar panels, turning the thermostat down (or up depending on the season), and even diet are on minimizing our carbon footprints,” he wrote.
The Bruce Museum has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the Climate Change Exhibit. As a part of Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund, the fundraising campaign will be hosted by Patronicity.com and the first $ 15,000 in donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Sustainable CT. That organization is a venture of Eastern Connecticut State University’s Institute for Sustainable Energy to promote environmental conservation.
The goal is to raise $ 26,500 by Jan. 15 to complete the exhibit and support future Seaside Center climate-change educational programs. Luke’s Wish has already received a number of gifts from members of the Bruce Museum and others from across the community, according to the museum administration.
The Seaside Center at Greenwich Point gets about 10,000 visits every summer.
“We want to let Luke’s vision speak to all of them through this exhibit, multiplying the enormous impact he has already made,” said Kate Dzikiewicz, science curatorial associate at the Bruce and Seaside Center manager.
To make a donation to the fundraising campaign, visit www.patronicity.com /LukesWish.