A lookout point was named after a deceased Richmond woman in recognition of her more than 50 years of service to a nature reserve and the local Girl Scouts.
The Hayes Arboretum, 801 Elks Road, hosted the dedication of the Pat Mayer Scenic Overlook on August 17. There is a parking lot near the overlook for drivers taking the auto tour route.
Relatives, neighbors and friends of the Stanley W. Hayes Research Foundation Inc. board of directors, as well as Girl Scouts from surrounding counties, gathered to witness the unveiling of the sign and reflect on Mayer’s contributions. Mayer died in July 2023 at the age of 97.
Foundation Chairman Steve Hayes Sr. described Mayer as the board’s moral compass and a consistent, trustworthy and reliable pillar.
Hayes praised Mayer for helping to connect the arboretum with the community and helping the foundation meet and exceed the needs of residents. Under her leadership, the arboretum also hosted many activities for Girl Scouts and their families.
“She helped all of us become better people and a better board,” Hayes said.
The Hayes and Mayer families have a long-standing connection. Mayer’s father, Herbert, worked for Hayes Track Appliance Co. from 1920 to 1970. Steve Hayes’ father, Brice, spent a lot of time traveling around the country by train with Herbert Mayer, selling the company’s products together.
Hayes said it was truly remarkable that a father-daughter team spent a total of 100 years helping Stanley W. Hayes and his family use profits from the railroad equipment business to establish the foundation and purchase adjacent land that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
A graduate of Richmond High School and Earlham College, she was known for her love of the outdoors and camping and had hiked in all 50 states.
Mayer worked for the local Girl Scouts for 50 years, including as director of Camp Wapi-Kamigi in Hagerstown. Known by the nickname “Beetle,” she spent each summer introducing countless Girl Scouts to the outdoors.
Arboretum staff built the overlook in 2000 with the help of a grant from the Wayne County Foundation. Some of the sugar maple and American beech trees at the overlook were already standing when European settlers arrived on the land in the 1670s.
Hayes also thanked one of Mayer’s nieces, Kathy Fox, and Fox’s husband, Alan Leighton, who recently donated picnic tables for the arboretum’s natural playground.
A version of this article appeared in the August 28, 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.
