In the Dutchess County Spotlight

If you should see a giant leaf sculpture at a Dutchess County business...don't be alarmed! It's part of the Leaf Peeper Contest by Abilities First in conjunction with the Poughkeepsie Journal. Throughout the County, there are fifteen 4-foot tall leaf sculptures, each one decorated differently by area artists. The goal of this contest is to figure out which leaf is being profiled each week. Fine artists have custom-designed each one to the sponsor's specifications as part of the Leaf-a-Legacy Campaign, a public art project.

How does this work, you might ask? What's in it for me? The Poughkeepsie Journal will give clues every Friday and Sunday until October 21st. This clue will be a partial picture of the leaf being profiled, and you'll have to figure out which leaf it is. To find the leaf, you must go to the one of the various Leaf a Legacy locations. The map is available at http://abilitiesfirstny.org/leaf/map.php or stop by Abilities First, located at 70 Overocker Road in Poughkeepsie. It's a fun way to get familiar with the area, and a chance to go out for a little adventure.

There are two contests per week, on Friday and Sunday. Each of the 12 weekly winners receives valuable gift certificates and merchandise from many area businesses. There will be one grand prize winner, who'll receive a full one-year membership for four to the Mohonk Preserve, www.mohonkpreserve.org, which is valued at $420.

No two are the same, so get out and search for your favorite! Check out http://abilitiesfirstny.org/leaf/contest.php to learn more about it and to sign up.