Dear Members and Friends,

As we get older (and wiser) time seems to be passing us by. But before another year comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to THANK YOU for being a part of MooseWood Nature Center now and into the future.

As a non-profit with a small budget, we do important work in the community. We strive to celebrate nature through education and action in the Upper Peninsula changing lives by providing memorable experiences to people of all ages and backgrounds by connecting them with nature and science.

Allow me a quick moment to share a few of the highlights of the year:

• Added two new members to the Board of Directors.

• Hosted a Dino Orienteering event in partnership with the U.P. Children’s Museum, NMU’s Seaborg Center and offered “Birding the Dead River” to residents of the Tourist Park Campground in partnership with the Laughing Whitefish Audubon Society.

• Hands-on and educational programs were offered including a variety of craft workshops, an intro to “Leave No Trace,” and “What Can I Eat with this Beak? programs for youth.

• Participated in Marquette community events, specifically Lake Superior Day, Art Week, and Salamander Days.

• Attended our very first TV6 Christmas Craft show offering pottery, jewelry and an assortment of hand-made items for sale to benefit the nature center.

• Collected cans and plastic bottles for the “Cans for Critters” fundraiser. Future collection dates will be most weekends until further notice.

• Offered birthday parties to youth ages five to 12 years old with assorted themes.

So, what is next at the MooseWood Nature Center? By the end of the month, members will soon be receiving the brand-new electronic newsletter, Around the Bog. Each issue, published every two months, will be sent via email as a benefit of membership. We are still finalizing programming for the new year, but you can look forward to searching for owls and learning about winter bird adaptations in January, and a new storytime and craft duo in February. Also, the second annual Photo Contest will be offered in 2023.

If you appreciate having a nature center in your community, now is the time to renew or begin your MooseWood membership for 2023. Please consider a supporting membership of $50 or more. We are a 501(c)3 corporation, so your gift is entirely tax-deductible.

Every gift matters! Your gift today will enrich hundreds of visitors’ experience at the nature center.

Sincerely,

Tiffany Rantanen

Board Member