Thankful & Grateful to YOU | |
Welcome to the season of gratitude. We are thankful for our student staff, volunteers, and visitors that make Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve a truly special place. Nature provides so much to us all. Its healing properties for our mind and body are scientifically proven. The bounty of harvest it provides from our gardens, hives, or landscape is integrated into many of our daily lives as well as our WPNR programs and activities. Don't let a little chill in the air stop you from venturing out with us at our Mighty Mini Walks, joining us for an Old Crow Circle session, or a "stop and shop" at our Christmas Open House in the days ahead. Visit us to grab a good read or three from the Little Free SEED + BOOK Library at the main entrance, or from the Learning Center Barn Library to enjoy with a warm drink over the holidays. See you soon! | |
Executive Director, Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve | |
Get Your Family Outside This Thanksgiving | |
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Thanksgiving Break is the perfect time to get your family outside
Get some fresh air after all the turkey and stuffing and take your family outside this Thanksgiving! Put out a birdfeeder in your yard to give our avian friends their own Thanksgiving feast; collect fallen leaves and make a fun leaf picture of reds, oranges, and browns; or take you camera or phone out and have your own nature photography contest for family bragging rights! Start a new outdoor tradition with you family this year!
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Growing Up Winnie:
Beia's Journey from WPNR Nature Story Time to Her Own YouTube Book Review Channel
We were SO excited when Beia's mom reached out to share her book review channel, "Beia in Bookland," with us...and not just because she features WPNR in multiple reviews! Literature is close to our hearts at WPNR and seeing such passion for books and reading is inspirational!
We have known Beia at WPNR for most of her life, being a regular at our programs and then continuing to volunteer for us with her mom when they started homeschooling. We are honored to be featured in her reviews a few times and look forward to hosting Beia in Bookland at the Learning Center Barn for future episodes! Be on the lookout and check out Beia's channel below!
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"Out of the Office"
...on a Mighty Mini Walk
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Take 30 Minutes to Get Outside!
An unstructured nature walk for fresh air, physical activity, interesting finds, and company to activate your senses is just the prescription nature has for you! For homeschooled students, college students, and adults.
Take a break with a little nature therapy from Noon - 12:30 pm on Wednesday, December 4th.
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Categories Include:
-Landscape
-Microscale
-Macroscale
-Abstract Nature
-People/Animals
-Weird Nature
-Seasonal
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Visit the Learning Center Barn from now through December 1st to vote on the winners of the WPNR Staff Photography Contest!
WPNR staff spent this semester out on the trails, taking photographs of the wildlife and landscape of WPNR. Now it's your turn to vote for your favorite! Visit the Learning Center Barn, grab a voting sheet, and choose your favorite photo from each category.
All photos are displayed in category groups on the upper level of the Learning Center Barn. One vote per person please.
Winners will be announced and displayed through December.
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More Nature Play Days for 2025 | |
Join Us for the Next Old Crow Circle | |
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Friday, December 6th - 12:00 -1:30 pm
Immune Support Series:
A Proper Cuppa for What Ails You
Bring a friend or two and kick off your weekend right! Refreshments provided - $5 material fee - no registration required.
FREE to SVC STUDENTS and EMPLOYEES
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WRAP with Us this Christmas | |
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Our SVC Education Students, Faculty, and Staff Support Local Children this Holiday
On December 7, 2024 more than 100 Saint Vincent College education undergraduate students, faculty, and alumni will meet at WPNR Learning Center Barn to wrap gifts, stuff stockings, add a tin of popcorn, and a bag of toiletries from each of the children's specific Christmas lists. The gifts will be delivered to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region for distribution.
If you are looking for a local way to share some holiday joy, please consider SVC Wraps. It is an opportunity for 100% of your donation to bring some Christmas joy to the children we serve in our county.
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Get Cozy this Christmas at WPNR | |
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Stop in any time December 17 and 18 from 11 am-3 pm for a cozy Christmas celebration!
Make a beautiful ornament for your tree (fun for kids AND grown-ups), mix up some reindeer dust to guide Santa's reindeer to your home on Christmas Eve (PLUS learn all about reindeer and their PA relatives, the white-tailed deer in our new exhibit), go out on a mini hike, listen to a Christmas story, have a sweet treat, SAVE at the Barn Owl Gift Corner Christmas sale, and MORE!
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Naturally Pittsburgh:
NAAEE Annual Conference in the City of Bridges
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WPNR Director, Angela and Environmental Education Coordinator, Allison were thrilled to attend and present at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Conference in Pittsburgh, November 6th-9th!
They were proud to present WPNR’s Wild Ones: Nature Exploration Stations for Little Learners program with Saint Vincent College professor Dr. Stacie Nowikowski. During their session, “Wild Ones in Wild Spaces: Training Teachers in Nature,” Angela, Allison, and Stacie highlighted the positive impacts the program has on Saint Vincent College Education undergraduate students, as well as the benefits it provides to community families that attend, to like-minded environmental educators, teachers, students, and higher education professionals from around the world!
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After being explored by thousands of children over the last few years, our play area and mud kitchen at the top of the driveway has been PLAYED OUT!
In order to mend, improve, and restructure the area, it will be
closed through the winter 2024-2025 season.
Not to worry, the picnic area around the bee sculpture, the Palmer Pond Exploration Area, and all the trails will remain open for exploration and discovery! Borrow a Pond Pail, Allagash Pack, or a pair of snow shoes to keep exploring all winter long. The spring holds lots of exciting new surprises!
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The WPNR Learning Center Barn will be closed from
November 27th through 29th and December 24th through January 1st for the holiday season.
The trails and outdoor exploration areas will remain open every day from dawn to dusk and we encourage you to visit and get outside with your family this holiday season! We look forward to welcoming you back for lots of new and exciting things in 2025! Have a blessed and happy holiday season from the WPNR family to yours.
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Don't wait until the last minute. Start your holiday shopping a little early! | |
The Barn Owl Gift Corner accepts cash, checks, and cards.
$10 minimum purchase is required for card users please. | |
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(724) 537-5284
744 Walzer Way
Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650
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Learning Center Barn Hours:
Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Trail Hours: Daily Dawn to Dusk
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