Friends of Bluff Lake-
We want to wish you a Happy Holidays and remind you that Bluff Lake Nature Center is open every day this holiday season from sunrise to sunset (~7:15am-4:45pm). Coming for a walk onsite is the perfect way to safely see friends and family while also enjoying some outdoor exploration!
We also want to remind you that there are only TWO WEEKS LEFT to take advantage of our Matching Gift from the Smith Family! Want to see how powerful your gift could be?
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A gift of $500 will be matched at 50%, giving it an impact of $750 on Bluff Lake!
A gift of $1,000 will be matched at 75%, giving it an impact of $1,750 on Bluff Lake!
A gift of $2,500 will be matched at 100%, giving it an impact of $5,000 on Bluff Lake!
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$750 covers the cost for 2 scholarship students at BLNC summer camp
$1,750 covers the cost of 120 pounds of Native Seed Mix which we use to restore damaged or overused habitat
$5,000 covers the cost of 10 field trips for Title 1 schools, including bussing, material, and staff costs!
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In addition, all donations (given by Colorado donors) over $100 will qualify for an Enterprise Zone Tax Credit of 25%! If you've already given this year, the match will be calculated based on your total donations for the year, so an extra donation now may bump you up into a new matching category.
In 2020, Bluff Lake Nature Center has been there for you and your family. Now we need you to be there for us! There has never been a better time to give to Bluff Lake.
With gratitude,
Rachel Crouch
Executive Director
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2020 Volunteer of the Year Award! |
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Barb DeSarro, Youth Education
We could not have run all of the education programs that we did during 2020 without Barb’s help! She continued to volunteer with enthusiasm and flexibility throughout all of the challenges and changes that 2020 brought us. She has been a valuable member of the education team since the spring of 2019, and has done more different types of programs than any other volunteer, including Family Nature Adventure Days, after school programs, “exploratories” with Isabella Bird students, and school field trips. Barb explains that she first visited Bluff Lake with her son's class back in 2002 and really enjoyed it. After recently retiring from CDOT as a roadway designer/project manager she is happy to rekindle her BA in Environmental Conservation by leading field trips. She loves teaching kids about biology, science, maps and seeing them learn through exploring nature. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering, hiking, yoga, biking, gardening, traveling and spending time with her two adult kids.
(below right: Barb facilitates a family program in 2019)
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Fall Programming by the Numbers |
29 Virtual Field Trips for 864 students in English and Spanish!
7 Girl Scout Field Trips
2 six-week sessions of BLNC
after-school programs
785 people at Boo on the Bluff
7 family programs onsite and at local parks
(right: a student plays in the snow at Bluff Lake,
below: a Virtual Field Trip all about Habitats)
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Major Site Visitation Increases in 2020 |
77,948 Site Visitors through the end of November 2020
Compared to 54,836 during that same time in 2019!
We are thrilled by this increase and by all of the new families who have found Bluff Lake during this difficult time. The increase has had a big impact on the site, including more trash, areas damaged from overuse, and an increase in dogs and bikes. We are doing our best to address these challenges such as installing additional trash cans around the site and updating rule signage as you enter the site. Your donations help us to make these updates and keep Bluff Lake in great condition!
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Looking for a meaningful holiday gift? |
Joann Calabrese, one of our amazing volunteers who leads Mindfulness Walks at Bluff Lake, has written a book all about mindfulness practices! Growing Mindful is available for pre-order on Llewellyn.com and Amazon and will be released on January 8, 2021. Joann will hopefully be back leading walks at Bluff Lake in 2021!
Discover the extraordinary union of meditation and nature with this hands-on guide to being mindful in the garden. Growing Mindful presents an abundance of meditation practices you can use while inhabiting any green space. Joann Calabrese shows you how to engage with earth energies and the present moment using the natural world as your portal. This inspiring book features dozens of awareness boosting activities rooted in sensing the wonder and magic of nature. Discover supplies and settings for each activity, 52 plants to mindfully connect with every week of the year, and heart-centered explorations of garden correspondences. Growing Mindful helps you deepen your spirituality and nurture a unique practice. - Llewellyn Press Release
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(above: Stedman Elementary 2nd Graders visit Bluff Lake this fall) |
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Bluff Lake is here when you need us.
Come visit our site, connect with nature, and practice social distancing by using our trails.
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