Today is Giving Tuesday!
We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals.Now, we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.
Today, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
It's a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or your organization to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Join us and be a part of a global celebration of a new tradition of generosity.
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Thank you to supporters who have donated from $15 to $58,000 this year. Please check them out at:
Please join them by donating at:
Impact the lives of Washoe County kids by giving them the benefits of outdoor, discovery-based education - for their immediate benefit and for the future of forest conservation and protection.
The Community Foundation of Western Nevada will double donations made between September and December this year.
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Volunteer of the Month!
 Mary McDonald Come in and say hello to Mary McDonald. Whether it's coordinating other volunteers, cleaning the restrooms, or greeting community members and visitors, Mary approaches every project with great enthusiasm.
Mary retired as a Police Major from St. Petersburg Police Department, Florida. Her Nevada law enforcement experience includes two sessions as a Nevada Legislative Council Bureau Police Officer and working the Burning Man Event as a Pershing County Sheriff's Deputy. She now lives in Reno with her husband, Bob (retired Reno P.D.) and their two dogs, Buddy and Murry. Hobbies include kayaking, hiking, traveling, biking and cooking. It's hard to imagine the Visitor Center without Mary and we are very thankful for her enthusiastic service to our community.
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National Association of Forest Service Retirees
"Sustaining the Heritage" primary missions are education, advice and advocacy on natural resource issues. NAFSR Members, who spent their careers working in the U.S. Forest Service, have experience in National Forest and National Grassland Management, Research & Development, State & Private Forestry, and International Forestry as well as Administration and integration of these four mission areas which makes the U.S. Forest Service unique in the USA and Worldwide.
 | | Members of the National Association of Forest Service Retirees, with Carson District Ranger, Irene Davidson, visited the Galena Creek Visitor Center on October 30, 2014. |
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Educators: Book Now for Spring 2015 Day and Residential School Field Studies for K-12 students!
Great Basin Naturalists at Galena day and residential school field trips promote environmental literacy and nurture student relationships with the forest ecosystem. Hands-on discovery based education, paired with physical activity, inspires and reinforces student core learning in an outdoor setting. Working with teachers, we design programs to meet your grade and curriculum needs while aligning with benchmarks in Next Generation Science and NV Common Core Standards. A variety of curriculum topics are available, including Air Quality, Weather & Climate Change, Plant, Animal and Insect Adaptations and Habitat, and Water and Forest Ecosystems and Interdependence. Whether it's a three-hour day field study or a two-day/one-night to five-day/four-night residential program, outdoor education programs at the Galena Creek Recreation Area get students hiking, collecting and analyzing data, modeling systems and functions, building teamwork, developing outdoor life skills and having fun all while learning outdoors.
To discuss how residential outdoor school can work for your group, call (775) 849-4948 or email [email protected].
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When: Every 3rd Wednesday
December 17: Winter Birds
January 15: Snow Science
February 19: Air Quality
Where: Galena Creek Visitor Center
Cost: $5 per child, grades K-12
Every month we present an outdoor educational program. Students are divided into two groups: Grades K-5 and Grades 6-12. Activities are geared toward 2nd/3rd and 9th grades.
RSVP to reserve your spot as space is limited. Contact the Visitor Center at [email protected] or (775) 849-4948.
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Do you enjoy staying active in the outdoors?
Do you enjoy interacting with the public?
Do you enjoy researching and preparing exhibits?
Galena Creek Visitor Center has multiple volunteer opportunities. Learn more about how you can help by reading the short December Volunteer Newsletter.
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December Events
Suggested Donation $5.00
Every Saturday, 10:00am-12:00pm
Fall Guided Hike
Enjoy a guided hike through Galena Creek Park with a local specialist. Please bring appropriate clothing and plenty of water. If there's enough snow, this will be a snowshoe hike! We have a few pairs of snowshoes at the visitor center available for rent. The hike intensity varies, depending on the audience.
Saturday, December 6th, 9:00am
Winter Birds of the Galena Forest
Winter is here (or at least around the corner). The breeding season for birds is over and all the migrants have passed through. So, no reason to expect birds in the forest during this time of year, right? Guess again. Join Alan Gubanich, former Vice-President of the local Lahontan Audubon Society and longtime professor at UNR, as he uses taxidermy mounts and photos to show you what birds you can possibly see during your winter hikes in the Galena Forest, and help you understand their habits. You may be surprised.
Sunday, December 7th, 11:00am
Rare Plants of the Truckee Meadows
From the graveled edges of 395 to the wind-blasted slopes of the Mount Rose Wilderness to the fire scarred foothills in between, they surround us but frequently go unnoticed. Janel Johnson of Nevada Natural Heritage Program will guide us in exploring Nevada's rare plants. We'll look at some of the issues and challenges of conserving and protecting species like the Ivesia webberi, the Tahoe draba, and the Steamboat buckwheat.
Saturday, December 13th, 11:00am
Truckee River Restoration with the Nature Conservancy
Once a thriving, wild waterway with hundreds of bird species and 40-pound Lahontan cutthroat trout, the Truckee River had been highly degraded over the past century. For over a decade, active restoration of the lower Truckee River has been taking place which presently has impacted over 10 miles of the river corridor. Join the Nature Conservancy's Truckee River Project Director, Mickey Hazelwood, in a discussion about the conservation challenges being faced and how science-based restoration solutions are bringing this important area back to a healthy condition to benefit both people and nature.
Saturday, December 13th, 6:30pm
Astronomy Night: Jupiter and the Galilean Moons
Mike Hopper and Jim Fahey from the Astronomical Society of Nevada will share their knowledge and enthusiasm for Jupiter and the Galilean Moons. Telescopes will be available to observe the night sky after the presentation.
Sunday, December 14th, 11:00am
Reign of the Sierra Storm King
with local author, Mark McLaughlin
Residents and travelers in the Sierra Nevada endure some of the most brutal winter storms in the world. Snowfall measured in feet, wind gusts in excess of 180 mph, destructive avalanches and wind chills far below zero conspire to wreak havoc on anyone caught unprepared. This fast paced 60-minute snapshot presentation captures the compelling stories and dramatic images of railroad and highway crews fighting mountain blizzards and deadly avalanches from historic winters past. Mark will sign any of his books available through the Visitor Center. Great Gifts.
Sunday, December 14th, 2:00pm-3:00pm
Storytime & Book Signing: The Twisted Christmas Tree by Ryan & Julie Henderson
This is an inspirational children's book for all ages, about a tree named Charlie whose appearance was changed after a huge windstorm. This book helps to teach that it's OK to be different. It was inspired by a couple who actually chooses the odd-looking trees to bless their home during Christmas.
Wednesday, Dec. 17th, 10:00am-12:00pm
Nevada Homeschool Day - Cost - $5/child
Winter Birds
December Homeschool Day will be focused on winter birds of Galena. We will become familiar with one of the longest running Citizen Science surveys in the world, Audubon's Christmas Bird Count. After learning about Galena's wintering bird populations, we will then go for a forest hike and look for these birds. RSVP to reserve your spot as space is limited. Contact the Visitor Center at [email protected] or (775) 849-4948.
Thursday, Dec. 18th, 10:00am-11:00am
Galena Toddlers
Nature education for the knee-high, including a story, activity, and craft. Israel returns as a guest presenter this month!
Saturday, Dec. 27th, 10:00am-12:00pm
Holiday Hike
Join us on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year's for a festive jaunt through the forest. On the hike, we'll have a Christmas-themed treasure hunt and even build snowmen if there is enough snow. The hike will finish with hot cocoa and apple cider at the Visitor Center.
Check out our calender for additional event updates!
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Last Month - November's Homeschool Day included a guided solo hike and shelter building.
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Homeschool Students Building a Survival Shelter
Photo Credit: Carolyn Rice
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Did you snap a great photo during your last visit to Galena Creek Park? Whether it's a picture of a beautiful bird, your school group or a scenic vista, we would love to see it! Send in your picture and we may feature it in our next newsletter.
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Animal sightings have been abundant in the Galena Creek Recreation Area. Come and check the Animal Sightings board, and add to it in person or by phoning in your sightings. Sightings will soon be available interactively on the Galena Creek Visitor Center website.
The Galena Creek Visitor Center is open on Friday-Sunday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. For trail maps, current conditions, and things to do in the park or at Lake Tahoe, stop by and ask our Visitor Center Hosts. Or you may take a break from your outdoor excursions in the elements and enjoy the exhibits and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
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Galena Creek Visitor Center
Friday - Sunday
9:00am - 4:00pm
(Winter Hours: Oct 15 - Apr 30)
Galena Creek Recreation Area
Day Use Only
8:00 am - 5:00pm Daily
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