Placer Nature Center hosting public party to celebrate 35th anniversary

The Placer Nature Center will celebrate its 35th anniversary with events on two consecutive weekends, starting with a public celebration at the center on Saturday, Sept. 26, followed by a Bingo Night fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Crooked Lane Brewery. On Sept. 26, PNC will host an anniversary party at the 3700 Christian Valley Road property from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come early for the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society bird walk on the trail at 10:30 a.m., followed by a wild bird experience (with Hawks, Honkers and Hoots) at 11 a.m. and then presentations from local organizations, docent-led trail walks, games, crafts and more. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase, and there will also be a raffle and silent auction featuring items from local businesses. In addition to Hawks, Honkers and Hoots, other participating vendors include Placer County Master Gardeners, California State Parks/Junior Rangers, Placer Mosquito/Vector Control, Auburn Garden Club, California Wolf Foundation, Sierra Streams, Placer Land Trust, California Native Plant Society Redbud, Sierra Foothill Audubon and Nor Cal Bats. On Sunday, Oct. 4, members of the community are invited to support PNC at a Bingo Night fundraiser starting at 4 p.m. at Crooked Lane Brewing. Family friendly drinks and prizes from local businesses will be available. The organization is hoping to have a raffle and silent auction at the Bingo Night event and would appreciate donations from Placer County businesses. Since 1991, the nonprofit PNC has been a hub for environmental education in the Sierra Foothills. The center, located on 60 acres of California Conservation Corps land, is a field trip destination for some 4,000 students annually offering age-appropriate programming in natural and social sciences. Program themes include habitats, watersheds, ecology, wildlife biology and cultural history of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Programs also meet the California Science State Standards to enrich school curricula. Beside field trips and classroom visits, PNC's programs include Little Tykes Family Nature Programs for children 2 to 6 years old, summer camps, Scout projects, birthday parties, virtual learning and homeschool and small group sessions. "Placer Nature Center is an outdoor classroom where children can find their place in the natural world as they develop science literacy," the center website states. "A place where people of all ages can explore their link with the out-of-doors and use the environment and our exhibits for educational growth. PNC is a resource center for educators to learn methods and find material for teaching about natural systems. It is a place for discovering our natural and cultural history and exploring how nature is linked with the arts, literature, history, and science."