Second Annual Open House, Collins Marsh Nature Center.

Join us on Sunday, July 10^th from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM as we celebrate “gratefulness” at our second annual open house at Collins Marsh Nature Center. There are so many people and organizations that have helped us grow and we wish acknowledge what they have done. 

We will be offering the following:

1. Electric six-seat transport tours on our trails to view birds and plants
2.  Discussing our 1,925 native plants for our native plant garden
3.  Viewing our host and nectar gardens featuring 5 different species of butterflies
4. Observing the martin house with our first four martin families
5. Watching the caterpillars in our Monarch Abode
6.  Viewing birds with our expert birders
7.  Making bird feeders with kids
8. Observing birds at the bird feeders
9. Creating a bird mural/collage
10. Painting gourds for bird nests
11.  Learn how to use Merlin to identify birds
12.  Climb the tower
13. Lemonade in the nature center
14.  Hopefully view some snakes common to Manitowoc County (they will not be loose)
15.  Enjoying nature.

All this would not be possible without the help of the following:

Electric Transport Vehicle:  Donations by the following made this possible:  Community First Credit Union, Jim’s Golf Cart, Fox Community Credit Union, Bank First, Burbey Accounting, A&J Mobility, Manitowoc County Fish and Game, Viking Bow and Gun Club, Pine River Sportsman’s Club, ACE Building Service,  Ant Hill Mob Motorcycle Club Gary and Mary Drohman, Renee & Dale Torzala, Julie and Scott Knuth, Barry and Sandy Bast, in honor of Ione Kueter, Jill Backus, Joanne Troupe, James Wending, Jesse Haese, Jody Kuchar, in memory of Sandy Nett, Chuck Fitzgibbons, Greg and Debi Anderson, Norbert Pritzl, Brad and Gwen Meidl, Joe and Kathy Palmer, Dennis Rosenberg, Joan and David Estes, and Marilyn and Bernie Starzewski.

Gravely 52 Inch Zero Turn Mower:  Donated by Ariens Company – Brillion

Native Plants: Grant awarded To CEI from the Wisconsin Pollinator Protection Fund of the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin in the amount of $4500.   This grant was written by Marilyn – stop in at the nature center to see the plotting on graph paper and all that was done to plant the 1,925 plants.  The planting was accomplished by dedicated group of volunteers – Marilyn, Dale, Mel, Ken, Nancy, Joan, Dave, and Master Garden Volunteers of Manitowoc County.

Signs for Host Garden and Nectar Garden:  Funding for the signs donated Pine River Sportsman’s Club.  Pat Blaska contact person. Request written by Cheryl and presented by Nancy and Jackie.

Martin House:  House, CDs and recorder to attract martins donated by Richard Nikolai and Nancy Gill

Seeds:  All seeds and suet for feeding birds donated by Kaytee in Chilton.  Request made by Dale Folz.

Gary Drohman:  For over 50 years Gary was a strong supporter of Conservation Education, Inc.  He loved the marsh and all it had to offer.  An avid outdoorsman, Gary believed that God’s creation should be available for all people to enjoy and that we should leave this Earth a better place than when we arrived.  He was instrumental in getting the new nature center built and we will be forever grateful for his dogged determination in believing that the dream of a new nature center would come true.