Thanks for more than 7,000 volunteer hours!

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center benefits each and every day from the helping hands of a generous corps of volunteers. More than 260 individuals logged more than 7,000 hours last year serving in a variety of roles around the Center. On any given day, you can find volunteers doing the "dirty work" of cleaning cages and feeding the animals, planning and pulling off spectacular special events, assisting our education staff in classrooms and at camps and scouting events, acting as live animal docents, sprucing up the building and grounds, answering telephones, raising funds and collecting in-kind donations and much, much more.

Our Volunteer Coordinator, Julie Mistur, is planning a week to honor our volunteers, starting Tuesday, April 29. We hope all of our wonderful supporters who give us the precious gift of their time will stop in to pick up a treat and to let us express our gratitude in person.

Thank you Lake Erie Nature & Science Center volunteers!!! We couldn't do it without you!!!

Check Us Out On WJW Fox 8

Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds, Wildlife Director Dave Wolf and a variety of our wild animals were featured in a segment on That's Life today. Q104s Jen Toohey was focusing on cool, inexpensive stuff to do with the kids. We qualify on the cool and affordable fronts! You can watch the entire story online on the My Fox Cleveland website. Thanks to the very nice folks at Fox 8 for including us on their "best" list!

Schuele Planetarium Hosts Astronomy Day

Come watch as space “chefs” mix together ingredients to whip up a comet on Astronomy Day, Saturday, May 10. You'll also enjoy free star shows in the Schuele Planetarium (first-come, first-served), take-home space crafts, a morning appearance by EVA the Inflatable Astronaut and afternoon insight from NASA on future Project Orion space missions. You can also peak through solar telescopes during the daytime or get nighttime telescope views, both weather permitting. If your own telescope is stuck in the back of the garage because you need some help figuring it out, the Cuyahoga Astronomical Association will host an interactive workshop with tips on using or buying a telescope. Head over to Special Events page at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's website for the complete schedule of free events. See you May 10th!

Just Ducky!

Look for big yellow ducks to spring up around Bay Village as we get closer to our Family Fun Fest and The Great Duck Race. Another outstanding Boy Scout volunteer, Corey Smith, made a number of the bright, duck-shaped signs to promote our annual summer event. All we need to do, is add the June 1 date and time (12 - 4 p.m.) and pound the stakes in the ground. That's Corey's Mom (left) and our Volunteer Coordinator Julie Mistur (right) pictured with Corey.

Surprising "Road Kill" Study From Indiana

A study by scientists in Indiana turned up some surprising results according to an article about the "road kill" research posted on Discovery Channel news. Reporter Jennifer Viegas writes that the study "suggests some species, particularly amphibians, are so often victims of motorists that the phenomenon may help explain the decline of entire populations."
That observation is especially interesting during this "Year of the Frog." Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is partnering with wildlife and conservation organizations from all over Northeast Ohio on the Year of the Frog - Leap Into Action campaign, highlighting the plight of endangered amphibians and their shrinking habitat. You can read more about Leap Into Action (LIA) on a special website set up by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Get your LIA passport stamped at our Family Fun Fest on June 1.

Kudos In Columbus

A delegation from Lake Erie Nature & Science Center was recognized on the floor of the Ohio Senate yesterday. Board President Patrick Mazur, Executive Director Larry Richardson, and Director of Fundraising and Community Relations, Renee Burslem were in Columbus for the day visiting with lawmakers. Head over to The Ohio Channel and click on the Ohio Senate video archives to play a recording of the Senate Session for Wednesday, April 16. The Center appreciates the welcome and support from our state lawmakers!

Learn More About Wildlife Babies

It's spring wildlife baby season and that means our Wildlife Rehabilitation Department is at its busiest. Rehab Coordinator Megan Tadiello will take time to help teach your family about rehab and what to do if you encounter an animal baby in the wild at a special Meet An Animal program at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. This free, family friendly program, The Ins and Outs of Wildlife Rehab, will feature some of our resident wild animals that are unreleasable, former rehab patients.
You can also check out our flyer, "I found baby wildlife - does it need help" here. By the way, the answer that question is often, "no, it doesn't need your help." Our advice is always to call us first before intervening. Our rehabbers can be reached at 440-871-2900, ext. 204 between the hours of of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
One more tip on wild babies: a safe and fun way to experience wildlife babies up close is through live streaming video available online through reputable organizations. The Nature Conservancy has a cool live eagle's nest cam with two baby eaglets recently hatched in a preserve on Santa Cruz Island in California. Happy viewing!

That's Life At Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

A crew from Fox 8, WJW-TV taped a segment for That's Life at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center this week. Q104's Jen Toohey talked to Planetarium Director Jay Reynolds and Wildlife Director Dave Wolf for her piece on great, low-cost destinations for families in greater Cleveland. That's Life, hosted by Robin Swoboda, is broadcast weekdays at 10 a.m. We'll try to let you know here when the story on Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is scheduled to air.
UPDATE: Word from Fox 8 that the story is set to air Thursday, April 24.

Announcing Our T-Shirt Art Contest Winner

A Westlake High School student has claimed the top prize in Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s 2008 T-shirt Art Design Contest. AJ Suever’s winning design will be featured on the Center’s 2008 Limited Edition T-shirt, which goes on sale at Family Fun Fest, June 1, from Noon - 4 p.m.
AJ’s colorful, kid-friendly artwork was chosen from among 14 finalists and more than 100 entries from artists of all ages. Her winning design, as well as the 13 other finalists, are posted in the Kids Corner Nature Gallery of the Center's website. Visitors to the website, this blog and to the Center in Bay Village helped select the winner by submitting votes for their favorites. For her efforts, AJ will take home a $100 cash prize and a T-shirt featuring her design. Thanks to everyone who entered and voted!
That's our Center Director of Community Relations & Fundraising Renee Burslem (left) and Community Relations and Fundraising Specialist Barb Caskey flanking AJ in the photo.

Barred Owl Released!

The Barred Owl was in a flight cage for about 2 weeks hunting, and doing fantastic. It was taken back to Maple Heights, where it was found, and released on April 6, 2008.

WestLIFE Columnist Touts Lake Erie Nature & Science Center As Top Cabin Fever Cure

Thanks to WeSTLIFE Gardening columnist, Thea Steinmetz, for including Lake Erie Nature & Science Center at the top of her recent list of cabin fever cures. In the April 2 edition of WeSTLIFE, Thea wrote:

For parents and grandparents there is always the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center in Bay Village. Our grandchildren, when they are visiting, love that place. They don't have to be prompted to go there; they ask to be taken there. It seems that animals speak to children. This has become a half day tradition whenever they spend a few days with us.

Nature & wildlife do indeed have a way of talking to the child in all of us. In the same issue of WeSTLIFE, photographer Larry Bennet captured some great shots of Wildlife Director Dave Wolf putting on one his wonderful, interactive Meet An Animal programs.

Hope to see at the Center soon!