Progress at the Rhoneymeade Children’s Nature Area
By: Beth Dougherty
Step by Step we are working toward achieving our mission of building a space which encourages young explorers, their families and caregivers to connect with nature and the environment.
We have expanded our interactive stations, added new resources and continue to work on developing new areas of enhancement and involvement. Our garden patch has been harvesting produce since late spring, especially with the addition, this year, of the new “Salad Bar”. Feel free to enjoy harvesting from the garden whenever you visit, cloth harvest bags are available to help you carry any abundance home.
This growth has been fueled by the generous support of donations and volunteers, for which I am most grateful!
Rhoneymeade’s participation in the philanthropic, community wide giving event, Centre Gives , has provided critical funding needed to help build not only the Children’s Nature Area’s growth but Rhoneymeade’s overall growth and sustainability. The Children’s Nature Area could not exist without the support and structure of the Rhoneymeade Sculpture Garden and Arboretum.
I would like to extend a massive heartfelt thank you to Katie Coopey, a student at State College Area High School and member of the State College Lion FFA chapter. Katie generously volunteered her time and artistic skills to design creative and informative signage for our garden, salad bar and soon to be developed Pollinator Garden. Her work will help visitors learn about agriculture, healthy eating, and local ecosystems. Also thank you to Ms. Megan Inhoof, State College Teacher and FFA Chapter Director for accepting my request for assistance and presenting it to the students.
I am excited to announce that Doug and Pam Ford, Penn State Master Gardeners and Snetsinger Butterfly Garden Coordinators will be assisting in helping develop our Pollinator Garden. As a result our Garden will become a Snetsinger satellite garden. Look for that development this Fall.
And the progress doesn’t stop, especially with your help!
Visit us – Join us and experience all that the Children’s Nature Center and Rhoneymeade has to offer. The Rhoneymeade grounds are free and open to the public until dusk, Monday – Sunday.
Volunteer your helping hands and ideas to help us grow!
Spread the word – Tell your friends, schools, youth groups and others about us. For more information check out the Rhoneymeade website : Rhoneymeade.org
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions, ideas or offers to help :
Beth Dougherty, Children’s Nature Area Coordinator