PEEC News:
At its annual Earth Day Festival earlier this month, PEEC introduced the public phase of “Take Wing with the Nature Center” – a capital campaign to fund indoor and outdoor exhibits at the new Los Alamos County Nature Center.
The campaign goal is $1 million. More than $850,000 has already been raised in the private phase of the campaign.
The overarching mission of “Take Wing with the Nature Center” is to provide exciting, engaging and interactive exhibits, making the new nature center a state-of-the-art learning center and a community treasure.
Gifts have already come in from hundreds of citizens in Los Alamos and Santa Fe, as well as from businesses such as Los Alamos National Bank, which presented PEEC with a check for $30,000 at the Earth Day Festival on May 3. Other local businesses have also generously donated so far, including Zia Credit Union and Del Norte Credit Union.
“The exhibits we design and fabricate with these funds will belong to the community,” PEEC Executive Director Katie Watson said. “PEEC will donate all the exhibits to Los Alamos County, to ensure that they stay with the nature center for many, many years to come. It’s a wonderful public-private partnership, with the County providing $4.3 million for the nature center building, and PEEC providing $1 million for the exhibits.”
“We are thrilled that so many people are taking advantage of the naming opportunities we’re offering through this campaign,” Capital Campaign Co-Chair Rebecca Shankland said. “From $500 bricks to donor wall tiles at $10,000, there are many opportunities for donors to be recognized by name, or for their donations to be recognized in honor/memory of someone else.”
We are looking forward to a year from now, when we will be able to take our grandchildren to the new nature center, where they will see their names on bricks outside, PEEC members Hal and Anne Davis said. The two are campaign contributors.
“We felt like it was important to support the nature center, which will become an integral part of the community. In doing so, we were also able to pass on our love of nature and the Pajarito Plateau in our grandchildren’s names,” the couple said.
Shankland added that donors of $150 or more are able to register for exclusive Take Wing events – thank you outings and trips that have never before been offered by PEEC. Shankland wanted to emphasize, though, that donations of any amount are appreciated; no amount is too small to take part in this exciting community endeavor.
To donate to PEEC’s campaign, visit www.PajaritoEEC.org/TakeWing, or call 505.662.0460. All donations are tax-deductible.
