ONSC Member Weekend 2010

On November 12 - 14, we held our first ONSC Member Weekend at the Ozark Natural Science Center.  Suffice it to say we have learned much about what we would like to do (and not do!) in the future, but all in all, a good time was had by all.  Around 50 people joined us
throughout the weekend alongside our staff.

On Friday evening, a number of our board members and a handful of new friends joined us for our Fall Fundraiser dinner.  We held a reception in the outdoor classroom with some great wines, appetizers prepared by the kitchen staff and a variety of beers from our friends at Heineken (thank you, friends!).  Staff member Naïma Montacer (read her guest blog post from earlier this month) shared with attendees the ONSC philosophy of "take what you need, eat what you take" as well as other highlights of the teachable moments that students experience every day at ONSC.  Executive director Beth Stephens and associate director Jason Kindall (who will not approve of that photo) shared an overview of ONSC and the powerful work of the center.

On Saturday, friends joined us for a day of crafts, hikes and birding walks with our expert staff as well as a primitive skills session with ONSC Teacher Naturalist Rob Seal.  Staff led tie-dye and paper-making sessions:

Tommy learns how to tie dye...

The Harris boys perfect their t-shirts...

Brave souls making paper with five boys ages 4 - 8...

Detail of a handmade piece of paper

Sophie's vision of an ONSC owl in the starry night sky

The day ended with a group hike to the Kings River overlook with plenty of binoculars for spotting eagles.  The best memory of the weekend may be that crisp, sunny afternoon with families sharing a special time in a special place (and admittedly, with all the moms feeling a little frantic about the number of kids near the edge of the precipice...)

The day ended around the campfire, and the kids finally crashed in the lodges.  The next day they woke up ready for more fun after a night in the bunk beds...

Volunteer extraordinaire and ONSC Corps co-chair Candice Haines (also a previous guest blogger) and other attendees joined volunteers from the Heritage High School Women in Science Club as well as additional board members for an ONSC volunteer work day.  Our supporters helped us split wood, build a compost teaching station, clear trails and paint sections of the Ewing Centre.

All in all, however, the very best of our first ONSC Member Weekend is captured in this photo of a happy kid learning, looking far and wide, and taking in the Ozarks and the great big world beyond:

At the end of the day, that's what ONSC is all about.  Hope you'll join us next year!

*Thanks to ONSC staff member and Call of the Wild event maven Rachel Swearingen Harris for sharing many of these fantastic photos!  Mark your calendar for Call of the Wild on April 16, 2011 and stay tuned for a sneak peek of next year's fun, fabulous and greener than ever event!