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Earth Day Event Goes Back To Nature
Tribune photo by Jim Reed
Teacher Rachel Ryan, left, helps Marissa Robinson learn about snakes as the Mintz Elementary School student holds a red rat snake on her lap as part of the Woods, Water and Wildlife Earth Day Celebration. The event was held Saturday and continues Sunday at the Nature's Classroom Environmental Studies Center off of Morris Bridge Road.
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Published: April 19, 2008
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THONOTOSASSA - Spending time with nature was important to Dorsey Yawn as a child, so he seized the opportunity Saturday to give his grandchildren and their friends a first-hand experience with the outdoors.
They attended the Woods, Water and Wildlife event at Nature's Classroom, Hillsborough County school district's environmental education center. The two-day event, in conjunction with Earth Day, concludes Sunday.
"I grew up with an outdoor lifestyle; I had a father who taught me to fish and hunt," Yawn said. "There is so much of nature disappearing today that I wanted them to see it."
His grandson's friend, Jake Lehrer, 9, got to hold a year-old, 18-inch alligator. The reptile's tail slapped the arm of his Chiles Elementary School classmate, Bradley Canerday, who is Yawn's grandson.
"He was kind of smooth but he kept squirming around," Lehrer said.
The first-time festival includes animal encounters, arts and crafts, live folk and bluegrass music, a nature art show by well-known photographers and artists, a student art exhibit and displays by local organizations including Tampa Audubon Society, Big Cat Rescue, Southwest Florida Water Management District and Tampa Bay Orchid Society.
A 30-minute boat ride on the Hillsborough River gave visitors close-up views of alligators, snakes, turtles and birds, including roseate spoonbills and little blue herons.
Karen Folsom, administrator of Nature's Classroom's, said all Hillsborough County public school sixth-graders visit the center for three days during the school year. That visit leaves a legacy, she said.
"We are often asked if we can have families out here. We felt it was time to open the doors to the public," Folsom said, adding that two artists assisted in planning the event.
Volunteers from Boy Scouts, Young Life, Armwood High School National Honor Society and Families Instructing Students at Home assisted with craft activities, parking and by answering questions about a bear, raccoon, fox, fox squirrel, alligator and other animals on display.
Some volunteers, like Armwood student Nick Briggs, 17, took a more hands-on approach – holding a 6-foot-long yellow rat snake for children to touch.
"I came here in sixth grade. It was really fun and I thought this was a good chance to come here again and to hang out with the kids," Briggs said.
Temple Terrace residents Alyssan Chevaillier, 7, and her sister, Ashley, 3, liked a smaller red rat snake they could hold in their laps,
"It was kind of weird because it was really squishy and was soft on the side," said Alyssan, a student at Lewis Elementary said.
Folsom said she was pleased with the first day's attendance of about 1,000 visitors, comments from the guests and the volunteers' enthusiasm.
"Next year is our 40th anniversary, so this was a test," Folsom said.
If You Go
WHAT: Woods, Water and Wildlife: An Earth Day Celebration and Nature Art Show with animal encounters, children's activities, boat rides, music, food vendors
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Nature's Classroom, 13100 Verges Road, Thonotosassa
DONATION: $4 per car
INFORMATION: (813) 987-6969
Correspondent Lenora Lake can be reached at (813) 865-4851 or llake@tampatrib.com.
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