GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT For more information, contact the park district…

May 23, 2013

GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT

For more information, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit www.geauga

parkdistrict.org.

Take A Hike

Celebrate National Trails Day June 1 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Big Creek Park, Tupelo Pond entrance, 9373 Ravenna Road in Chardon.

Visitors will enjoy 4.2 miles of the oft-overlooked Creek Trail from Tupelo Pond entrance to Woodin Road and back. The trail features stream crossings, abundant wildflowers, hilly terrain and several scenic overlooks.

Registration is not required or the free hike.

Nature Writers’ Coffee House

Anyone who enjoys nature-inspired composition, coffee and other refreshments will not want to miss the 18th annual Nature Writers’ Coffee House, a chance to enjoy all three in the tranquil setting of The West Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road in Russell Township. It takes place May 31 from 7-9 p.m.

The following writers of all ages and literary expertise entered and won the contest this year.

Winners in the Poetry category include: First place – Child: Benedict Kennedy; Adolescent: Anna Carlson; Adult: Jessica Miller; Second place – Child: Bernadette Rodriquez; Adolescent: Annelise Wallie; Adult: Kari Collier; and Third place Child: Lucy McNees; Adolescent: Francis Kennedy; Adult: Shane Wohlken.

Winners in the Prose category include: First place – Child: Sarah Harbert; Adolescent: Maddy Massey; Adult: Carolyn Kennedy; Second place Child: Benedict Kennedy; Adolescent: Karsten Bergmeier; Adult: Amber Slane; and Third place Child: Virginia Williams; Adolescent: Francis Kennedy; Adult: Kevin Schaner.

Winners will not be required to read aloud if they prefer, though many will. Anyone in the crowd is also invited to step up to the microphone and recite nature-inspired works of art.

Geauga Park District would also like to thank this year’s competition judges: Grace Butcher, Renee Ergazos, Mary Ryan, Jenny Hershberger and Michael Salinger.

The event is free; registration is not required. Refreshments will be served.

Registration Open For Camps

Registration is now open for Geauga Park District’s new weeklong day camps: Adventure Camp and Space Camp.

Age groups of 10 to 12 and 13 to 15 will trade between adventure and space themes each week from early June through early August, excluding the week of July 4. A registration fee of $150 will cover the cost of all activities, travel and equipment.

Adventure Camp will feature days in the parks dedicated to fishing, canoeing, bicycling, hiking and pond and insect studying, among other activities. The outdoor treasure-hunting game called geocaching will also be included, guiding campers in the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to seek out containers hidden in the parks.

Naturalist Dottie Mathiott took cues from Geauga County Job and Family Services (JFS) in planning the variety of day-to-day activities, all of which will begin at Walter C. Best Wildlife Preserve in Munson Township.

Meanwhile, over at Observatory Park in Montville Township, Space Camp will be dedicated to telescopes, astronomy, rockets and other astro-fun activities. Participants will get a handle on desert island navigation, experiment with model rocketry, hunt for meteorites and learn to set up their own planetariums.

Camp calendars and waiver forms are available online. For more information, or to register, call Denise Wolfe at 440-279-0894.