Yet another season of wonderful learning opportunities awaits you in the latest edition of our Community Program Guide. Don’t forget to tear out and attach to your fridge the calendar on page 4; there are so many programs aimed at increasing your environmental literacy between April and August, it’s hard to remember them all!!

I also encourage you to please consider lending your time to an important cause this spring. Our Biothon 2010 provides you with a wonderful opportunity to get outside while helping to support your local nonprofit environmental education center -- the Hitchcock Center!

The Biothon raises thousands of dollars for our environmental education programs. These programs serve over 6,500 individuals each year, the majority of which are children in our community. It’s a great way to meet up with friends or bring the family together, slow down your fast paced life, fill your lungs with fresh air, and take stock of the natural wonders around you. While counting as many different species as you can -- birds, mammals, plants -- you help document and learn about the amazing biodiversity of the Pioneer Valley. You also provide important fundraising support for an organization you can be proud of by collecting pledges for every species you count!

For more information about how you, your family, and your friends can volunteer on behalf of your favorite environmental learning center, please see page 8. You may even qualify to have your very own personal naturalist guide to mentor you and your team along the way!!

For 48 years now, we have helped you to connect with and learn more about the Earth that supports us. We continually adjust and refine our programs to keep pace with the many environmental challenges we face. Your past, continued and future support has made this possible. Thank you!

With warm regards,

Julie Johnson
Executive Director

Questions or comments?  E-mail us at hcenter@crocker.com