every tuesday night i volunteer at the elks nature center in rasmussen woods in mankato. back when lily was in preschool the center was staffed full time and ran all different sorts of educational programs (we were very fond of "nature power preschool hour.") but due to city budget cutbacks the staff was let go and the center was closed.
in the past 9 months there has been a grassroots initiative to get the center back open and staffed by volunteers. i scored a sweet deal where my girls scout troop can meet in the center if i volunteer. as the troop doesn't meet in the summer, i've been finding my past few months at the center to be a quiet, calming, enjoyable way to spend an evening.
outside the center it looks like this:
the inside looks like this:
isn't it fabulous?!? it's such a fun place! we even have a cougar!
my personal favorite is the moose head!
my job is mainly to sit at the desk, be nice to the people, answer any questions, and make sure the birds have seed to eat. it's not very taxing. i get to put on music, get out my knitting, and wait for anyone to show up.
music + yarn (because renaissance choral polyphony and game show hostess endorsed acrylic yarn go together like peas and carrots.)
it's a pretty sweet gig, and as much as i love my girl scouts they're seriously going to cut into my knitting time once meetings start up again!
-melissa
"because renaissance choral polyphony and game show hostess endorsed acrylic yarn go together like peas and carrots." = best line ever!
It's so great that your nature center is open again with volunteer help! It looks like such a fun place. I have fond memories of attending day camps as a kid at a nature center in our area and now I enjoy taking long walks on the trails there with my parents. Good stuff!
Posted by: Rebekah | September 03, 2014 at 09:10 AM
What a sweet gig...I need something like that to get some more knitting time in.
Posted by: Anna Prasad | September 03, 2014 at 10:29 AM
What a wonderful place! You are completely awesome to keep it open.
Posted by: Lindsey | September 06, 2014 at 01:57 PM
That centre looks like such a fabulous resource. Our technological lifestyle means that so many kids these days miss out on seeing things like this. Good for you helping out!
Posted by: TheJosiekitten . | September 14, 2014 at 02:29 PM
Those pictures are just gorgeous and the inside looks awesome too! What an absolutely ideal place to sit and crochet whilst enjoying gorgeous surroundings and wonderful nature loving people! So glad that you found each other!
Posted by: CMVS | September 17, 2014 at 09:16 PM