Small Business Profile: PEEC Gift Shop Celebrates The Natural World

PEEC Executive Director PEEC Katie Watson outside the new Los Alamos Nature Center. Photo by Chris Clark/ladailypost
 
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post

If there is one stand-out quality in Los Alamos, it would be the community’s spectacular scenery and all the flora and fauna that goes with it.

For more than 10 years, the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) has strived to educate, celebrate, preserve and explore all the natural wonders of this community.

Sandra West, marketing manager for PEEC, explained the organization was founded in 2000, “by a group of dedicated citizens who had a vision of bringing a nature center to Los Alamos.”

She added, “The founders of PEEC wanted to help Los Alamos become a place where nature is a part of people’s lives, and where people enjoy, value, and care for it on a regular basis. Los Alamos is lucky to be surrounded by so many opportunities to get outside—we want to help people make the most of those opportunities.”

Since PEEC is a nonprofit organization, every dollar spent at the Los Alamos Nature Center gift shop or donation to PEEC helps provide opportunities for all ages to learn about the natural world and enjoy the outdoors, West said

PEEC consists of seven employees and hundreds of volunteers. Many of the original founders are still involved in PEEC including Becky Shankland, Chick and Yvonne Keller, Michele Altherr and Sarah Gustafson.

PEEC operates the Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road. The center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday,  closed Thursday and open 1-4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit peecnature.org or call 505.662.0460.

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