American White Pelican in Rehab

We’re caring for an unusual patient in Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Program an American White Pelican. Although a few of these birds wind up in our neck of the woods each year, it’s rarely seen in Ohio because the American White Pelican’s normal breeding range is the Northern Plains and Mountain West and it winters along the southern coasts.

The snowy white pelican with black edged wings was picked up in the Cuyahoga River and brought to us on January 19. It had been observed injured for a few days and we immediately noted an obvious left wing injury. An x-ray and veterinary exam revealed no fracture. We are currently treating for a soft tissue injury, keeping the wing stable with a wrap.

Some of the photos we have posted on our Facebook page were taken as Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator Amy LeMonds and Wildlife Director Dave Wolf worked to keep the bird eating. (One shot shows the pelican’s amazing open mouth and its long bill with extensible pouch.) The American White Pelican is one of the largest birds in North America .

Wow! What Were You Doing In High School?

Vince DiGennaro, Sean Waitkus &
Center Executive Director Catherine Timko

Two teen volunteers at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center secured a nearly $1,000 corporate donation to support our Bay Village nonprofit. North Olmsted High School Seniors Vince DiGennaro and Sean Waitkus went into the board room to compete for funds under the Farmers Insurance Future Leaders Development Program and presented the donation they earned to Executive Director Catherine Timko today.

Vince and Sean developed a 20-minute presentation to explain why the nonprofit charity of their choice should receive a financial donation. A panel of company leaders judged competing student pitches and based on communication, content, appearance and overall presentation. Sean and Vince worked "countless hours" on the presentation which included a PowerPoint and video synched to music.

Vince and Sean are both involved in North Olmsted High School’s SITES (Social Involvement Through Education and Service) Program, which partnered with Farmers to engage students in the competition. Sean has logged more than 1,500 volunteer hours at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center and won the Volunteer Service Award at his high school for three years running. He is an aspiring naturalist with plans to study wildlife at Hocking College.

Vince has accumulated more than 100 volunteer hours at the Center since September 2010. He plans to attend the University of Miami (Florida) to study meteorology and marine science.

Well done Sean and Vince! Thank you!

Variety of Water Birds Seen In Rehab

This week’s intense wintry weather brought an influx of injured water birds into our Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Program. It’s common for us to see quite a few of these birds each winter, but we don’t always encounter such variety of species at once.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Coordinator Amy LeMonds identified the birds sharing rehab quarters this week as 2 Pied-bill Grebes and 2 Horned Grebes, along with a Canvasback duck and 2 Ruddy ducks.

The grebes have legs that are set far back on their bodies, ideal for propelling them through the water and diving for dinner but not for walking.

This body arrangement also means that they cannot take flight without paddling across the surface of water.This time of year, grebes can get stuck on snow-covered frozen lakes or in shallow puddles that collect on land. Often, all that is required of us is that we get them to open water to restore their ability to take flight.

We were already able to return 3 of the grebes and 2 of the ducks to Lake Erie this week, in the warm open water near the Avon Lake power plant.

2011 Board Leadership Named



Charles V. Aquino

The Board of Directors at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center has elected officers to provide leadership and support for the Bay Village nonprofit organization in 2011. Charles V. Aquino, Director at Western Reserve Partners LLC, will serve a second term as President. Mr. Aquino, a Northeast Ohio native and Fairview Park resident, has served on the board for six years and brings an investment banking background to his leadership role.

“I am honored to serve a second term as President of the Board,” said Mr. Aquino. “I work with exemplary professionals, both my colleagues on the Board and in Center management. It’s a privilege to coordinate the many talents of our Board to benefit a great nonprofit organization. Collectively, we share a passion for the Center’s mission and a responsibility to see that this Northeast Ohio treasure thrives now and in the future.”

Also re-elected are Vice President Colleen Lowmiller, Senior Actuarial Consultant at Findley Davies, Inc., and Secretary Corryn Firis, Staff Attorney at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Jerry Rudowsky, Senior Manager, Assurance Services at Ernst & Young LLP, will take over as Treasurer. In addition to officer elections, Steve Koliha, Client Executive at IBM Corporation, was elected to the Board.

Unwrapping Your Year-end Gifts To Nature

 Amy LeMonds prepares to return a owl to the wild.

Just three weeks left in 2010! We hope you've included your favorite charities on your gift list. Year-end support is crucial to the good work of so many valuable nonprofit organizations like Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. 

Imagine in your mind's eye that 180,000 children and adults will be "unwrapping" your gift in 2011... with magical moments during free visits to our live animals and free advice and help for injured backyard animals through our respected Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Program. Now, that's truly a gift that keeps on giving and puts warmth in your heart and a smile on your face all year long!

Give a gift today and start spreading the joy of nature and wildlife. Thanks for your support and Happy Holidays!

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!

Center Wins CAC Grant for the First Time!

For the first time, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center has received a 2-year grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC), the community partnership and granting agency funded by revenues from a county-wide cigarette excise tax. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center is one of 67 organizations receiving a general operating grant in the 2011 funding cycle and one of only a handful of new recipients.


Our Executive Director, Catherine Timko, had this reaction to the news: “This is truly the result of a team effort involving many people on our staff and board. Most of all, this award is a reflection of the powerful impact of our mission on people across Northeast Ohio and beyond, and our staff members’ ability, skill and enthusiasm to educate and inspire.”

The CAC Board approved a grant of $99,095 for 2011 and 2012 to fund the mission of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. Key factors in the rigorous application and panel review process included an assessment of cultural excellence, strength of management practices and strength of community engagement measured by both donor support and program participation.

Catherine says that news of the award “energizes Lake Erie Nature & Science Center in a number of ways including confirmation of the value of our mission and affirmation of our distinction as one of Cuyahoga County’s most effective organizations. We look forward to fulfilling the charge of the grant award – delivering meaningful and impactful learning experiences to our visitors and program participants while maintaining sound management – in 2011, 2012 and beyond.”

CAC is a sub-division of the State of Ohio, which collects a dedicated tax on cigarettes sold in Cuyahoga County, to fund local arts and culture organizations. Voters approved the 10-year tax on cigarettes to fund the CAC in November of 2006.

Family Hayride Night!

The first of our two Fall Family Hayride Nights took place on Friday night with ideal, crisp, clear autumn weather. Pizza and pasta, planetarium shows and live animals, crafts and a haywagon ride through Huntington Reservation were part of the evening's activities for families.

Our Halloween Hayride night on the 29th is nearing capacity. So, if you have your heart set on attending, sign up as soon as you can to avoid disaopointment!