List of Duck Prizes and Sponsors Growing

Do you have a duck in the race yet? The list of Family Fun Fest and Great Duck Race sponsors and prize donors is growing. Cash, sports tickets, museum and zoo passes, certificates for tasty dining and more are already on the list of cool stuff that will make up the prize packs given to first 30 ducks to cross the finish line on Porter Creek.

So far, four generous area businesses have stepped up to sponsor this year's event! Join us in recognizing Faber-Castell/Creativity for Kids, The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development, Hyland Software and ShurTech Brands!

Want to join our sponsors or prize donors? There's still time leading up to our Sunday, June 5 event. Call 440-871-2900 today and ask for Ann Miller or Barb Caskey.

Access a Fun Fest Duck Sponsor form here.

We Have a Winner!

A Bay Village student has claimed the top prize in Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s 2010 T-shirt Art Design Contest. Nine-year-old Allie Maust’s winning design will be featured on the Center’s 2010 Limited Edition T-shirt. The Westerly Elementary School student produced colorful crayon art, edged in black and featuring a snake, a fish and an owl (animals that all reside at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center) surrounded by the stars and planets from the Center’s planetarium dome.

Allie’s artwork was chosen from among 15 finalists and more than 100 entries from artists of all ages. Facebook fans, online voters and Center visitors helped select the winner by submitting nearly 2,000 votes for their favorites!

Center Executive Director Catherine Timko presented Allie with a $100 cash prize during Spring Break week. She will also receive a T-shirt featuring her design once they are produced. The T-shirts go on sale to the public at the Center’s annual Family Fun Fest, June 6 from Noon to 4 p.m.

Design Wild, Wearable Art For a $100 Prize!

Calling all artists! Use paints or pencils, crayons or collage to create animal-inspired original art for our official, 2010 t-shirt design contest. The winner will receive $100 and the limited edition t-shirt featuring their design! Last year's winning art (seen this photo of the finished shirt) was submitted by A Bay Middle School student, but artists of any age can enter.
Contest rules and guidelines:

• must include 3 or more of the Center’s resident animals
• must be colorful, fun and kid-friendl
• cannot be larger than 8” x 10”
• should be completed on plain, white paper (NO t-shirt outlines)
• official Center logo and name will be added to the t-shirts during production. Please do NOT use Center name, logo (or the “LENSC” acronym) in your design.

Download a printable PDF entry form with complete contest guidelines. Entry deadline: February 28. Artwork will not be returned.

Finalists will be on display by mid March in our lobby, online in the Kids Corner Nature Art Gallery and on Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s Facebook Fan Page. To vote for the winner, stop in to fill out a paper ballot or click “like” under your favorite(s) once we post finalists in a Photo Album on Facebook. The winner will be notified by March 31.

T-shirt go on sale at our annual Family Fun Fest, Sunday June 6.

Family Fun Fest

Thank you to everyone who turned out to support Family Fun Fest and The Great Duck Race on Sunday! A special thanks goes out to our sponsors and donors. If you love our Center and our mission, please show your gratitude to the community-minded businesses that donated Duck Race prizes and to this year's corporate sponsors: Hyland Software, Faber-Castell/Creativity for Kids, Bay Furnace, Orthodontist Charles P Canepa, D.D.S., M.S., Huntington Bank and Meritech, plus our media sponsor, Mimi Vanderhaven.

This event is not possible without a host of volunteers, led by event chair Courtney McGurer. Follow this YouTube Link to see video of the start of The Great Duck Race, chaired by Becca Huntington. Thanks to again to all our committee chairs, volunteers, sponsors, donors and guests! See you at the 2010 Family Fun Fest!

Countdown to Family Fun Fest

Hey, did you catch us "Kickin' It With Kenny" on Fox 8 TV this morning? We took our beautiful Barred Owl, rubber duck racers, cool crafts and more this morning to Kenny Crumpton's live broadcast from the Rock Hall. We were only able to share just a little taste of all that we have going on Sunday at Family Fun Fest. You won't want to miss it.

We're setting up tents and finalizing all the details for our big event today! Find Family Fun Fest details here. Buy activity tickets any time from now through the event. Duck sponsorships on sale until 1:30 p.m. of race day or until they sell out!See you Sunday!

Duck Sponsors Lining Up for Cash & Prizes

We're dusting off our collection of rubber ducks in anticipation of The Great Duck Race, part of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's popular Family Fun Fest on June 7. Early sales of numbered Duck Race Sponsorships are brisk and we're beginning to add to our list of prize sponsors as well.

You can view and keep track of the prize list here. It's always a blast to watch the swarm of yellow rubber ducks bobbing along Porter Creek to the finish line, but you don't need to be present to win cash, Indians tickets and other great prizes. Individuals can sponsor a duck at $5 for one duck or 5 for $20. A limited number of duck sponsorships are on sale now at True Value Stores in Bay Village and Avon Lake and at the Center through 1:30 p.m. race day or until they sell out.

Family Fun Fest also features live animal and planetarium shows, nature crafts, carnival games, bounce houses, nature hikes, food and new this year: a rock climbing wall! The non-stop activities will run from Noon – 4 p.m., with the Duck Race at 2:30 p.m. The event is a fundraiser to support the nature education programs, wildlife rehabilitation, live animal exhibits and planetarium at the non-profit, donor-funded Lake Erie Nature & Science Center.

Admission to Fun Fest is free, but most activities require a ticket. Activity tickets are $1/ticket,$10/12 tickets or $20/26 tickets. Activity tickets will also be available for presale this year beginning May 1. The event is held rain or shine.

T-Shirt Art Contest Winner Announced

A Bay Village Middle School student has claimed the top prize in Lake Erie Nature & Science Center’s 2009 T-shirt Art Design Contest. The winning design will be featured on the Center’s 2009 Limited Edition T-shirt, which goes on sale at Family Fun Fest, June 7.

The 11-year-old Bay Middle School student’s drawing featured a vivid trio of animals that all reside at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center: a deer, a fox and a snake. The colorful artwork was chosen from among 14 finalists and more than 65 entries from artists of all ages. Visitors to the Center's website and to the Center helped select the winner by submitting more than 1,100 votes for their favorites.

Development Coordinator Barb Caskey presented Emily with a $100 cash prize this week. She'll also receive a T-shirt featuring her design. T-shirts go on sale to the public at the Center’s annual Family Fun Fest, June 7 from Noon to 4 p.m.

T-shirt Art Finalists Announced

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is proud to announce 14 finalists in our 2009 Limited Edition T-shirt Art Design Contest. We received more than 65 wonderful and creative entries from children as young as 5 all the way up to adults. Our finalists were chosen to represent various ages, artistic experience and styles.
Now it's time for YOU to weigh with your favorites. Start by viewing the finalists in our online Kids Corner Nature Art Gallery. Then, you can vote for you favorite by leaving a comment here, using the contact form on our homepage, or by stopping by to drop a ballot in the box at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center starting Monday, March 16.
Each of our finalists will receive a pair of Walter R Schuele Planetarium passes good for any one star show, laser lights or film fest admission. The winner, who will be announced after voting ends on March 31st, will recieve $100 and a copy of the t-shirt featuring their winning design.
Thanks to everyone who entered! Good luck to all our finalists.

2009 Animal Inspired Art Contest

Get out your paints, pencils, pastels or other art supplies and create animal-inspired original art for the official, 2009 Lake Erie Nature & Science Center t-shirt design contest. The winner takes home $100 and a copy of the limited edition t-shirt featuring the first place design. All finalists will receive Walter R. Schuele Planetarium star show passes for four.

Designs must include 3 or more of the Center’s resident animals and be colorful, fun and kid-friendly. Check out the rest of the contest guidelines on the official entry form at this link and keep in mind that some guidelines have changed from last year's contest.

Our 2008 winner was a Westlake High School student but the contest is open to all ages! Entries must be submitted by February 28. The shirt with the winning design will debut for sale at the annual Family Fun Fest at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center on Sunday, June 7. Photocopied forms and multiple entries per person are acceptable. Artwork is not returned.

Finalists will be on display by mid March both at the Center and online in the Kids Corner Nature Art Gallery where you can also view last year's finalists. To weigh in and support your favorite finalist, stop by Lake Erie Nature & Science Center to fill out a ballot, leave a comment here on this blog or email info@lensc.org. The winner will be chosen and notified by March 31.

Fun Fest Success!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered, donated, sponosored a duck and came to enjoy our 2008 Family Fun Fest. The pictures tell the story! See you the first Sunday in June, 2009!

Family Fun Fest Sunday

Our annual Family Fun Fest is ready to roll on Sunday, June 1 with some new activities in addition the long list of returning favorites. A rubber duck hunt will take families around the Center in search of a prize; planetarium shows will feature a taste of our laser magic, new nature crafts will be featured, including wearable art, and our Women's Board is setting up a bake sale in addition to serving pizza, popcorn and other snacks. (who doesn't love something home baked???) Get there early to pick up tickets for the planetarium, nature hikes and animal shows which all have limited seating.
By the way, we'll be previewing Fun Fest for Fox 8's Kenny Crumpton on Friday morning around 8:15. Tune in to see a couple of our people and animals live from the Rock Hall in Cleveland.

Do You Have A Duck In the Race Yet?

Have you signed up to sponsor a yellow quacker in the Great Duck Race, yet? What are you waiting for? The 2:30 p.m. rubber ducky race down Porter Creek is one of the highlights of Family Fun Fest, Sunday, June 1, noon - 4 p.m. at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. If your duck crosses the finish line fast enough, you could take home cash or other great prizes including Indians tickets, certificates for ice cream from Mitchell's, Cold Stone Creamery and Dairy Queen, Rita's Italian Ice, Starbucks, Java Bay and the Copper Cup, CiCi’s and Donato's Pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Subway and Quiznos, Bay Lanes and Diamond Indoor Sports, Pettiti Garden Centers, Portrait Innovations and Paul Green School of Rock Music.

You don't have to be present to win, but why miss Family Fun Fest, which also features planetarium and live animal shows, nature crafts, carnival games, bounce houses, casting lessons with the Division of Wildlife, Family Nature Discovery Hikes and dancing with Radio Disney.

You can sponsor a duck at $5 for one duck or 3 for $10. Corporate Underwriter Sponsorships start at $250 and include special recognition and other benefits. If you'd like to join our 2008 Corporate Sponsors, The Huntington National Bank and Hyland Software, call us at 440-871-2900 x207.

Fotops Photographer Larry Bennet captured this great shot of the 2007 Great Duck Race last year for WestLife News.

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.

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.

Art Design Contest Finalists

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is proud to announce 14 finalists in our 2008 Limited Edition T-shirt Art Design Contest. We received more than 100 wonderful and creative entries from children as young as 5 all the way up to adults. Our finalists were chosen to represent a cross section of ages and artistic experience and styles. The finalists are posted in our Kids Corner -Nature Gallery and will be on display at the Center. Please be patient as we work to make sure the art displays properly in most browsers.
Lake Erie Nature & Science Center wishes to thank everyone who entered. To help us choose the winner, stop by the Center and vote, send an email to info@lensc.org or leave a comment on this blog post. Comments are moderated.
Thanks again to all who entered. The winner will be announced by the end of March and our Limited Edition T-shirt will be on sale at our June 1 Family Fun Fest.

Family Fun Fest Planners Need YOU!

A duck race down Porter Creek, live animal and planetarium shows, bounce houses and games, nature hikes and crafts, food and Radio Disney all make Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's annual Family Fun Fest an event not to be missed! Planning for the June 1, 2008 edition of Fun Fest gets underway with our first committee meeting this Friday (January 25) at 9:45 a.m. in the Center's Grand River room. We have a fantastic core of moms in place who plan crafts, games, activities, food, publicity and more. Kids are welcome at the planning meetings. So, grab a friend and join the great group of parents who are spearheading this event that also serves as a Center fundraiser.
If you can't make Friday's meeting, email or call Volunteer Coordinator Julie Mistur (440) 871- 2900 X215, juliem@lensc.org or Community Relations and Fundraising Specialist Barb Caskey at (440) 871- 2900 X207, barbc@lensc.org to offer your help. We’ll get you on the email list for the future schedule of planning meetings and updates. Photos here are from last year's Fun Fest.

Calling All Artists - Design Our 2008 T-shirt!

Are you artistic? Create the design for our 2008 Limited Edition Lake Erie Nature & Science Center T-Shirt. Anyone can enter our 2nd annual design contest. The winning artist takes home a $100 prize and a free T-shirt featuring his or her own artwork.
Our guidelines require your design to be:
~original artwork that includes at least three of the resident animals at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

~colorful and kid friendly

~no larger than 8” X 10” on blank paper (no T-shirt outline)

Pick up an entry form at the Center’s front desk or download a printable pdf form. Photocopies of the entry form and multiple entries per person will be accepted. Entry deadline is February 29, 2008. The winner will be notified by March 31, 2008.
Top entries will be on display at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center and on our website in the Nature Art Gallery by mid March. We invite you to tell us which design is your favorite, although Lake Erie Nature & Science Center will make the final decision on the winning art. To register your opinion, comment here on our blog, stop by the Center or email feedback on your favorites to info@lensc.org.

Last year's winning entry is pictured above. We look forward to receiving your new and creative entries!