Fall 2009 - Ebersole Environmental Education Center

Fall brings stings!
Here are our “top ten” tips to help avoid being stung by bees,
wasps and other insects while
you enjoy outdoor activities:
Meet Killdeer: A fascinating local
resident with a flair for theatrics
Killdeer, or Charadrius vociferous, are considered
shorebirds, although they are found in many
different habitats including lawns and farmlands
throughout Michigan, and particularly around
Southwest Michigan.
1. Bright colors attract stinging
insects—wear clothing in
dark or neutral shades.
2. Don’t use perfume or cologne,
which also attracts insects.
3. Avoid swatting and swinging
at insects as this can excite
many species and cause them
to sting.
4. Tuck a sheet of Bounce or
other dryer sheet in your
pocket or your shirt. Bees
and yellow jackets will avoid
you and veer away.
5. If you use both sunscreen
and insect repellent, apply
the sunscreen first—at least
45 minutes before you go out
in the sun. Then apply the
repellent. Applying them at
the same time reduces the
effectiveness of both.
6. Check the label of the insect
repellent you use; it should
contain no more than 10% of
the chemical DEET. The American Academy of Pediatrics
says any higher concentration
can be harmful to children.
7. Use insect repellent sparingly. Apply to any exposed
skin except thefingertips,
(where kids may lick it off).
8. If you or your child is stung,
check to make sure the stinger has not been left behind.
If you see a stinger, gently
remove it with tweezers.
9. Call for medical advice if you
or your child develops hives
all over his body or swelling
near the eyes, lips or tongue.
10.Call 911 if you or your child
shows any sudden difficulty breathing, weakness or unconsciousness.
Killdeer are robin-sized birds, approximately
9-10 inches long, with long legs and pointed
wings. The killdeer has a brown head and back,
and a pure white breast crossed horizontally by
two brown bands, which make it easy to identify.
Just like a zebra’s stripes, these brown bands help
the killdeer blend into it’s surroundings, a type of marking called disruptive coloration.
When the killdeer flies off, it shows a large rusty spot on the tail as well as a prominent white
band on the edge of the wings.
Killdeer prefer lakeshores, fields, meadows, and mudflats as their habitats of choice. The killdeer’s range covers Canada, the United States, Mexico, and sometimes even Alaska. They breed
in open, dry, or gravelly places and lay spotted eggs that blend in so well with surrounding rocks
and stones that they are easily overlooked. During the spring breeding season, the killdeer will
aggressively protect their nest and young from predators. If a predator approaches the nest, the
adult bird will flap its wings, fan its tail out toward the intruder, and make a show of struggling
away from the nest. The predator believes that the bird is injured and would be easy prey and
is led away from the nest. Once the nest or young are out of danger, the killdeer undergoes an
amazing recovery and screams loudly at the intruder as it flies away. Killdeer are famous for this
“broken wing” display.
Killdeer hatchlings are precocious, which means that they are capable
of fending for themselves almost immediately after hatching. The familiar call of the killdeer can be heard day and night and its name
has been derived from the call that it makes, “kill-deeh, kill-deeh.”
Keep a look out for these fascinating birds around your own neighborhood, school, and around the Ebersole Center!
Round Up Rally 2009
Ebersole Center staff along with our mascot Ebby Bear, attended
the 2009 Round Up Rally held at Sexton High School on September
2nd. The Rally is a great kickoff to the upcoming school year and was well attended. Our staff had an opportunity to speak with hundreds
of children and adults about the Center and what we have to offer.
Children had fun decorating tree cookie name tags and doing
texture rubbings of leaves, insects and various critters. Many parents
stopped to tell us about the huge impact Ebersole had on them when they visited the Center as students.
Vernon D. Ebersole Environmental Education and Conference Center | FALL 2009
L.E.A.F. Scholarships
Ebersole Center is excited to announce
that Lansing Educational Advancement
Foundation (LEAF) scholarship funds
are going to be available again for the
2009-2010 school year.
Scholarship applications will be available soon on the Center’s website
and will also be sent electronically to
all Lansing School District teachers.
Everyone is encouraged to apply for
these funds, and we are hoping to secure
additional matching funds to increase
our scholarship offerings.
Last year, thanks to the generosity
of LEAF, the Center was able to offer
scholarship funds to Riddle & Willow
Elementary schools, which allowed
these two schools to bring their students
to Ebersole for a three day program.
The students and the teachers had an
amazing time and were very grateful
for the opportunity.
Check Out Ebersole’s New Live Display
Something’s “Fishy” at the Center…
During the summer of 2008, Ebersole Center became the recipient of a generous donation of a 150 gallon aquarium from Cliff Barry from Delton, Michigan. The
hope was to eventually set up this aquarium as a live, native species display for
Ebersole visitors to enjoy. The aquarium was stored at Ebersole until this past July
while other needed equipment was acquired. Thanks to a donation of two large filters from Jacki Tennant from EHEIM, North America and a custom aquarium
stand donated by Jason Byler, Ebersole Naturalist, the Center now has a beautiful
native species aquarium for visitors to learn about some of the life found below the
surface of Jackson Lake—prior to actually visiting the lake! The aquarium is in the
pond study classroom (green door) and currently houses several different species
of fish and water plants, directly from the lake. More species will be added as time
allows. Be sure to stop in and see this wonderful ‘‘pond sample’’ the next time you
are visiting Ebersole Center!
Summer School a Hit!
For the first time, Ebersole Center was
able to offer summer school programs
to schools. This offering replaced summer camp and has turned out to be a
wonderful addition to the programs
we have available. This past summer
Cavanaugh and Averill Elementary
schools took advantage of this incredible opportunity, and both schools have
plans to continue their summer school
program in 2010 here at the Center. If
you are interested in holding summer
school classes here at the Center, please
contact our office for rates and availability. Dates are filling up fast!
Students examining native fish in Ebersole Center’s new aquarium.
Are You Watching Your Waste?
Many of the products we use in our homes everyday are hazardous. If they are disposed of improperly, these products can make their way to our streams and rivers,
and eventually into our Great Lakes, and kill surrounding plants and animals.
A product is considered hazardous if it is:
Toxic—poisonous or capable of causing acute illness;
Flammable—ignitable and burns easily;
Corrosive—eats through other materials; or
Reactive—can possibly explode or react with other chemicals.
Always check the label to see if a product is hazardous. A product may be hazardous
if the label pictures a skull and crossbones or if it contains the words WARNING,
CAUTION, DANGER, or POISON.
Here are some things YOU can do to reduce household hazardous waste pollution:
Averill students display their math projects.
• Keep unused products in their original containers with labels intact, and store
them in a cool, dry place that is inaccessible to children and pets.
• Use products in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions and follow all safe handling requirements.
• Offer surplus supplies of products that are useable and safely packaged to others—
such as pesticides to nurseries, and paint to theater groups.
• Use non-toxic alternatives to hazardous products whenever possible.
• Be sure to follow proper disposal procedures for household hazardous waste—
recycle or drop off at a household hazardous waste site.
Ebersole Foundation Gratefully Acknowledges Donors
$250,000
Dart Foundation
$50,000 - $60,000
Kellie & Marilyn Dean
$20,000- $30,000
National City Bank
Lyle Stephens
$10,000- $19,999
Ebersole Center
John & Cheri Schimmel
$5,000 - $9,999
Margaret L. Ebersole
Robert & Diane Ebersole
Drs. Deborah & Timothy Smith
Robert Thompson
$1,000- $4,999
Dr. James & Mary Atkinson
Muriel Benedict
Kip & Jane Bohne
Dave & Jan Brigham
Susan K. Codere
& Thomas A. Kelly
Ralph & Pat Ebersole
Richard Ebersole
Gwen & Donald Erickson
Lisa Gallinari
Jacqueline Gerard
& Jerry Alvarado
Dr. Richard & Nancy Halik
Pat & Gary Harkins
Robert & Barbara Harris
Amy Hodgin
Bob Howe
Robert Hubbell
Mary & Bob Hutchins
Charley & LeaAnne Janssen
McNenly Group
Paul & Rebecca Kennedy
Michael & Tommie Kost
Robin & Roger Lewis
Leonard & Sue Lipinski
Andrew & Gail May
Brian & Pam McLenithan
Pam & Mark Meadows
Marty & Laurie Mecher
Mark & Rosie Mehaffey
Larry Meyer
Sue & Chuck Millar
Mike & Joan Moran
Robin & Stephen Moritz
Deb & Tom Neal
Steve Robbins
Melanie Rogers
Sharon Schimmel
Rita & William Stanton
Kenneth & Karen Stock
R. John & Deanna Strolle
Jerry Swartz
Brian & Marci Thrasher
Michael & Elizabeth Tillman
Nancy Wonch & Tom Sampson
Gordon VanWieren
Lee & Barb Zackman
$500- $999
Dr. Sharon & William Banks
Tony & Carmen Benavides
Gordon Bieske
Nabila & Kamel Boctor
Meg & Nate Boulton
Pam & Gary Boyce
Jason & Janine Byler
Matthew & Anne Marie Campbell
Janet Clark
Jack Davis
David & Sherri Drayton
Steve Fox
Kristin Glatz
Lue Glatz
Dale & Sue Glynn
Steve & Sue Holmes
Keith & Sheila Kallish
Marshall Kindy & Ronald Decker
Lansing Educational
Advancement Foundation
Lansing Schools Education
Association
Norma Laurel-Pike
Brian Lovellette
Mark & Holly Mayes
Paul & Robin Nyenhuis
Sandra & Brion Pearson
Robert Proctor
Glen Rairigh
Tim & Dona Raymer
R.E. Olds Foundation
Jo Ann & Tom Robinson
Ray & Anita Rustem
Jane Schneider
& Dennis Fulbright
Matt Smar
Sue & Bill Townsend
Reginald Turner
Sue & Don Usiak
Jim Veurink
Richard Wendorf
$100 - $499
Catherine Abood-Mohil
Debra Adamczyk
Academy of
Model Aeronautics Inc.
Andy & Linda Anderson
Anonymous Donors
Dave & Sandy Atherton
Attwood Elementary
Linda Auvenshine
Paul & Tricia Babladelis
Terry Ballinger
Margaret Barile
Lucy Bates-Byers
Ellen Beal & Pete Bosheff
Gary Benavides
Virg & Teri Bernero
Barry Bradford
Ricardo & Patricia Briones
Eve Brown
Robert & Joy Brown
Rhonda Buckley
William Bupp
Richard & Virginia Burd
Cavanaugh PTA
Carolyn Christensen
Denise Chrysler
David & Jean Clark
Hugh Clarke Jr.
Nancy & Ron Clevenger
Nicholas & Karen Colovos
Bob & Susan Copland
Jerre Cory
Jeanie Croope
Richard Dale & Judy Paulsen
Leigh Damaske
Mac & Helen Dashney
James & Shanna Davis
Sam Davis
Claudia Deschaine
Al & Sandy Donaldson
Eastern High School
Deanna Eby
Linda Eschbach
Everett High School
Special Ed., Project Success
Barbara & Lee Fetter
Joan Fetter
Dawn Fields
Michaelann & John Foltz
Judie Gapp
Judge James R. Giddings
Denise Goron
Judge Roman & Lee Gribbs
Tami Hall
Alice Hannula
Robert & Darlene Harr
Mary Helton
Cordell & Jan Henderson
William & Lori Herndon
Dave & Dolores Hershey
Bob & Sheryl Hickman
Dorothy Jones
Sylvia Jones
Ken Jones
Holly Keenan
Mary Kelley
Todd & Tracy Kerrins
Justin & Gina King
Duane Kooyers
Judge Amy Krause
Philippe Laurens
Julie Lemond
Mike & Connie Lenkowski
Warren & Mary Sue Lester
Olivia Letts
Jim & Kathryn Lynch
Beth & Joe Maatman
Len & Natalya MacNeil
Steve Maiville
Elizabeth & Douglas McGinnis
Pat McKay
Deborah McMillan
Chuck & Dave McNeilly
Hugh McNichol
Vern Mesler & Nan Jackson
George & Jenifer Michos
Mike & Pauline Morrison
Sandra Murphy
Pamela Nico
Debbie Nolan
Dr. Sharron Norman
Marion Norwood
Jeff and Susan Nyquist
Rick Oberle
Donna & Harold Old
Steven & Laura Panganis
Peg Panici
Ben Perez
Althea Phillips
Jim & Karen Pierson
Dave Prentice
Reading First Literacy
Coaches and Facilitators
Pete & Connie Reynolds
Dave & Linda Rothermel
Diana Rouse
Bill Rustem
Esther Sanford
William & Mary Jo Scharffe
Drs.Gordon & Dale Schimmel
Arlene Schimmel
Kristy Seibold
Steve Serkaian
Joe Sheahan
Dr. John & Cindy Shinsky
James & Barbara Sinadinos
Sam & Chris Sinicropi
Ken Slater
Janet Small
Edward Smith & Jacqueline
Himelright
Katie Smith
Michael M. Smith
Janice Snell
Nancy Spitzer
Magen Stewart
Patricia Stiles
Doris Sutherland
Jerry & Linda Sutton
Butch & Amy Syers
Betty Tableman
Dr Ralph & Alison Taggart
William & Lynn Tucker
Tom Tuggle
Dr. Elizabeth & Dr. Robert
Turpin
Mark & Janet Urban-Lurain
Daniel & Janet Van Acker
Todd & Diane Van Aken
Nick & Robbyn van
Frankenhuyzen
Joan Vercruysse
Eleanor & Kenneth Veurink
Mary Villegas
Jacqueline Warr
Gene & Caryn Welter
Broderick Williams
Phyllis Willis
Carol Wood
Don & Elaine Yuvan
John Zerfas
$100 or Less
Virginia & William Acheson
Mitchell Adelman
Layla Ahmad
Doris Akers
Judy Allen
Reniero Araoz
Richard & Suzanne Barclay
Shelly Barlow
Elizabeth Barnes
Brandon & Cindy Baswell
James Bedford
John & Joyce Beedle
Lucile Belen
Merideth & Chris Bennett
Walker Beverly
Anthony & Jennifer Billingham
Dave & Jean Brailey
Kyle Brigham
Torey & Troy Byington
Gloria Cannon
Ann & Christopher Carl
Larry Carr
Carol Carson
Donna Cervelli
Robert Chamberlain
Rosa Chapa
Dorothy Chapman
Ann Cherundolo
Jean Churn
Steve Cook
Doris & Dulles Copedge
Bruce Cornelius
Sherry Corwin
Kimberly Coscarella
Richard & Patricia Coscia
Sandra K. Dargatz
Cathy Demorest
Eleanor Doersam
Susan Dumala
Lester Duvall
Judith Evans & James Ritts
Farley, Estes & Dowdle
Funeral Home
Dennis Fedewa
David & Theresa Fetter
Judge Charles & Judy Filice
David Finnie
Philip Fitch
Patricia Fitzpatrick
Christine Flaga
Ron Flanders
Al Fletcher
Bridget Flynn
Steven & Brenda Foster
Joanne Foy
Janet Foy
Dana French
Marie Fulton
Lisa Gass
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GoodSearch
Anne & James Goudie
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James Grund
Mark Hahn
Harold Hailey
Kandy Hannula
Niel Hansen
Patricia Harlow
Cliff & Jan Havey
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Laurena Hoffmeyer
Andrew Hogarth
Christopher & Janice Jencka
Mary & David Jessup
Jim & Nancy Jewett
Pauline Johnson-West
Sara Kanya
Mary Lou Keenon
Randolph Kerr
Gary & Barbara Klepper
Karen Kligman
Nancy & Steve Koerber
Paul & Judy Kropf
Edward & Claudia Kulnis
Dawn & Bruce Kutney
Jim & Kathy Lammers
Kathleen Langschwager
Sung Lee
Ann Leonard
Linda Linton
Florence Locke
Guillermo Lopez
Samuel LoPresto
Lynelle Marolf
Peter Masson
Deborah McDonald
Mary Jane McGuire
Steven & Irene McKinley
Dennis & Karilyn McLenithan
Wendy McWhorter
Georgia Mead
Meijer Community Rewards
John & Nicki Memmott
Dalena Miller
Douglas & Carol Miller
Gloria Miller
Nel Miller
Charlotte Morton
Richard and Beth Murley
Lydia Myers
Dan Nelson
Mary Nesman
Maria Carol Nwagwu
Yoke Lei Oldham
JuliaOliver
Yolanda Oliver
William & Lola O’Meara, Jr.
Patricia O’Rourke
Janet Pagoni
Susan Palomba
Sharon & Thomas Pease
Michael Penskar
Gerard Perry
Julie Potter
Larry and Sue Pung
Stephen & Shirley Purdy
Janet Quiring
Monie & Tom Rademacher
Frank & Cynthia Rauth
Duane & Althea Reames
Tom & Tim Reames
Renos East Inc.
Mike & Gina Rocca
Mara Schaberg
Rex & Christine Schad
Pamela Scherer
Christina Schwarz
& Stephen Zepf
Barry Sedgewick
Norm & Audrey Shafer
Mark & Charlene Sherwood
Robb Shubel
Skill Industrial, Inc.
Charles Smith
Kathryn Soupal
Dr. Julia Spalding
Mark & Jennifer Spinozzi
Cheryl Stanfield
Jennifer Strauss
Robert & Renee Swanson
Leo & Meda Thrall
Jeffrey Tomboulian
Judy Van Geison
Robert Verdell
Dr. Donald Vire
Dan Voss
Tou Vue
Melissa Waligorski
Karen Wallace
Ruth & Melissa Washburn
Christine Washburn
Dan Watson
Gregory Weatherspoon
Ed & Kim Wesoloski
Donald & Joyce West
Yvonne Whitmore
David & Beverly Wiener
Mark & Heidi Wilhelm
Richard & Judith Winter
Tom & Cathy Wolff
Ray & Sue Woodard
Fred & Barbara Woodruff
Asa Wright
Joan Wright
Wesley & Mary Yard
Dan Zarimba
Health Officer Vacancy
TidBits
The Ebersole Center will begin the search for a new Health Officer this fall. The vacancy
opened this summer when Kevin Curran left his position to pursue other interests and opportunties in New York.
Our Mission…
We still have open dates for your group to come to Ebersole. Book your dates before
they are gone. We welcome all grades and all kinds of groups; family reunions, sports
camps, boy & girl scout troops, retreats, women’s & men’s weekends, etc. You may want
to consider a winter date, where every group can include snowshoeing and cross country
skiing as part of their experience. School groups who book in the months of December,
January, February and March also will receive a 15% discount on student fees.
Dates Still Available—Year ‘Round!
Inspire learners of
all ages to embrace
nature, engage their
minds, and acquire
an awareness of
responsible stewardship for our planet.
Ebersole Center prices for the 2009-2010 school year reflect a 5% increase due to rising
operating costs and fees that have remained unchanged for over three years. This necessary step was taken in order for Center staff to continue to offer quality programming.
Prices are still a great value and the increase only amounts to a few dollars.
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Printed on recycled paper.
GoodSearch & GoodShop at www.goodsearch.com
Ebersole is now a member of “GoodSearch”— an online search engine (much like Google).
Simply enter “Ebersole Center Foundation” under “Who do you GoodSearch for?” and each
time you search, a donation is given to Ebersole Foundation! Another neat part of GoodSearch
is “GoodShop.” For every online purchase made through the GoodShop site, retailers donate
a portion of their sales. So, whether you shop at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Home Depot, Ebay
or hundreds of other online stores, you can raise money for Ebersole at the same time!
An equal opportunity employer.
Please remember to
use GoodShop for
all of your online
holiday purchases!
New Prices
EarthBeat is a seasonal publication of the Ebersole Environmental
Education and Conference Center, owned and operated by the
Lansing School District.
Contributors: Torey Byington, Jason Byler, JoAnn Robinson, John Schimmel
Design: McNenly Group
Photography: Jason Byler
Ebersole Environmental Education and Conference Center
3400 2nd Street, Wayland, MI 49348
Phone: 517.755.5000 or 269.792.6294
e-mail: ebersole@lansingschools.net
web: http://ebersole.lansingschools.net
Lansing Office
519 W. Kalamazoo
Lansing, MI 48933
Lansing, MI
Permit #196
PAID
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage