GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — If you are looking for something to do this weekend, Blandford Nature Center has just the event for you.
A free 'Kids to Park Day' celebration will be held this Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Local 5th Grader, Everleigh Murphy is apart of the National Park Trust Student Ambassador program, which is partnering with the Nature Center for the event.
Within the program, Murphy was asked to choose a local park to celebrate a local 'kids day' at, and she chose Blandford Nature Center.
Blandford Nature Center's, Sidney Baxter says it means a lot to the park to be chosen.
"We're very honored to be her selected park," said Baxter.
Kids will have a chance to do crafts with park staff and roam the trails from 9 am to 11 a.m. The Nature Center will also be unveiling a 'Nature Library' at the event.
Baxter says this is another tool the park is providing to educate children about nature.
"Basically, this is going to be a new community resource that people can use. You can take the books out on the trails, and kind of just explore and engage with nature in a new way," said Baxter.
She adds that this event is a perfect way to get involved with the community.
"I mean, getting outside, it's part of our mission, just getting the entire community outside, but especially children, it's just really important to foster those stewards of the environment for years to come," said Baxter, "and so that's what kids to park today is all about. Just getting kids outside and getting them to appreciate nature and become stewards of it in the future."
And there is some fun for adults as well.
"If you're here for a longer day, we have some other stuff going on. We have a native plant sale and a vegetable plant sale happening at the farm on the other side of the property. So if you're looking for native plants to add to your garden, there's something for adults and there's something for kids here. You can make a whole family day out of it," said Baxter.
Baxter says book donations are needed to stock the, 'Nature Library'. You can drop off books during the a Nature Center's business hours which are; Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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