CSI + Carousel + Shredding = Busy Saturday!

Carousel, Shredding and CSI all contributed to an incredible, successful Saturday for Lake Erie Nature & Science Center.

More than 100 area residents took advantage of our latest residential Shredding Day, saving more than 55 trees by recycling 3.25 tons of paper. The Shredding Network of Wickliffe, which donated use of the mobile shredder for the morning, also estimates this single morning of recycling efforts kept 9.75 cubic yards of landfill out of the trash, stopped 195 pounds of air pollutants and saved 65 gallons of water.

Meanwhile, at Bay High School, the volunteer Women's Board of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center staged another successful Christmas

Carousel Holiday Festival to support our nonprofit mission. The long-running Carousel attracts artists, crafters and quality vendors, including the great twinkling holiday bottles and cork wreaths using recycled materials pictured above left. The other photo features Women's Board members Doris Kurz, Nancy Black, who was Carousel Cafe Chair, and Deb Barnum.

Back at the Center, we welcomed 550 Girls Scouts representing 75 troops from across Northeast Ohio for CSI: The Case of the Missing Thin Mints. This fun forensic science program was just one of the special offerings we have for scouts throughout the year!

Oh, and we also kicked off Winter Session Program Registration for Members and conducted most of our popular planetarium programs.

Quite a Saturday! Thanks to everyone involved!

Girl Scout Camp Registration Starts Tomorrow!

Calling all NE Ohio Girl Scouts! Registration for Lake Erie Nature & Science Center's 7th Annual "Back to Nature" Girl Scout Day Camp begins tomorrow, Wednesday, April 14 at 10 a.m.
By popular demand, we have TWO weeks to choose from this summer, June 21 - 24 OR July 12 - 15.
All the exciting camp details are at this pdf link.

Registration is taken in person or by phone on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call Carole Lynn Stratdman at 440-871-2900, ext. 211 to secure your space. We suggest you sign up as soon as possible after registration opens because this camp fills quickly!

Girl Scouts Give Back

Junior Girl Scout Troop 057 of Lorain decided to make the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center the focus of their Bronze Award Project. The Girl Scout Bronze Award is known to be the highest award a Junior Girl Scout can earn, as it stands to prove that they have made a promise to help others, improve their community and world, and become the best they can be.
The girls of Troop 057 felt they could best show their support for the Center and the community by collecting materials for both the resident animals and the many preschool classes the Center conducts year-round. The photo shows Jondelia, Hayley, Theresa and co-leaders Anna and Linda delivering the supplies. Three other girls, Anastashia, Tatyana and Aleea helped out but aren't pictured. We thank them for their support in providing our Center with the supplies necessary to maintain our status as a valuable resource in our community!

Forget the Snow - Get Moving On Summer Camp!

It's time to get moving on your summer plans! Our members can begin signing up for day camps and other summer programs tomorrow, March 1. Registration begins promptly at 10 a.m. To make the sign-up process as smooth and efficient as possible, please bring your Membership Card and your completed forms (Registration, Health Release on the back of the Registration Form, and New Member Form if applicable.) Feel free to call ahead with any questions you might have regarding program/class openings at (440) 871-2900. Our registration staff is usually available Tuesday through Saturday during regular Center hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Summer 2008 Registration Schedule
Member Registration: Saturday, March 1
Non-member Registration Tuesday, March 11
Phone-in Registration Tuesday, March 18
Girl Scout Camp Registration Tuesday, April 8 (in person or over the phone)

North East Ohio Girl Scouts Applaud Center Staffer

We take great pride that many of our hard working staffers are involved in a variety of community causes and organizations outside the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. Girl Scouts of North East Ohio recently applauded the volunteer work of Center Education Program Specialist Bev Walborn with a 2007 Honor Pin. Walborn, a volunteer Senior Girl Scout Troop Leader within the award-winning Bay Village Service Unit #605, received the individual kudos as part of this year’s Adult Recognition Awards.
Calling Bev a “tremendous asset” to all girl scouts, the Council also praised her work at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center “developing and presenting badge programs that benefit Girl Scouts throughout Northeast Ohio.” Bev says she draws on her long-running service as troop Leader when she helps to lead or design a scout program for the Center. “I try to take my experience as a leader and blend that with what I do as an educator."
This is the second year in a row that Lake Erie Nature & Science Center staffers have won recognition from the Girl Scouts. In 2006, The Lake Erie Council recognized Education Program Coordinator Carole Lynn Stradtman, who is also a Girl Scout volunteer, with an Appreciation Pin. The scouts also presented a 2006 Community Appreciation Award to the Center, praising our expanded Girl Scout programming as a “priceless” resource.

Girl Scout Registration Tuesday

Our phones have been ringing with calls from Girl Scout leaders eager to sign up for another year of of our award-winning programming for scouts of all ages. We make difficult-to-earn science Badges and Try-Its fun and easy. Scout leaders love our badge programs, Girls Scout days and overnights, as well as our special event days, where you'll find the perfect setting for a bridging ceremony. 2007-08 Girl Scout registration begins Tuesday, September 11 at 10 a.m. We will register on a first-come first served basis and many of our programs fill quickly, so come in or call early. You can view scout offerings on our website or download a PDF version of the 2007-08 Girl Scout brochure for complete details on all the fun!

Hikes, Hawks, and Hot Dogs

Our summer camp season is in full swing and, this week, we welcomed Girls Scouts to Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. Girls of all ages hit the nature trails, enjoyed hot dogs off the grill and hung out with the hawks and other creatures that call the Center home. The week before, boys and girls enjoyed an Old Fashioned Summer Camp, with our Junior Naturalists doing a bang-up job serving as Junior Counselors for the first time ever. Even for those of us back in the offices, the crackle of the walkie-takie chatter between supervisors, counselors and instructors reminds us of the wonderful exploration and activity taking place in and around the Center. It's not too late to get your kids in on the fun, since some future camps still have openings. Wet 'N Wild, Wizardry, Astronomy and Rocketry camps are still to come. See you at the Center!