The Friends of St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge believe that children hold the key to our future, and conservation of wildlife and habitat is essential to maintain a healthy planet.

As part of our mission, we want to reconnect children with nature.

We want them to be passionate about the outdoors.

We want children to have the opportunity to learn more about the land that surrounds them and what impact they have on it.

Our ultimate goal is to build an education program with a building and staff on the refuge.

To continue toward that goal, we are once again hosting Wild Things, an environmental education festival that will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the Natchez Shrine Club on Morgantown Road.

The event is free to the public.

Planned attractions and activities include a Black Bear Obstacle course for children (learn about bears as you pretend to be one), plant and animal identification, endangered species, waterfowl migration, alligator gar research, a youth long-bow archery tournament (bows, arrows and instruction provided), learn casting techniques (fishing equipment provided), forestry (learn to age a tree), make a pine cone bird feeder, microscope activities and much more!

Fundraising for the event will be in the form of a silent auction, which ends at 4 p.m., a cake walk, food sales, T-shirt sales, cookbook sales and a limited edition Teddy Roosevelt Bear.

A few items featured in the silent auction are original paintings, restaurant gift certificates, a Vera Bradley bag, a muzzleloader, jewelry and much more.

We will also be raffling a Giant Boulder model off-road bicycle donated by Trippe’s Western Auto.

We invite everyone, both children and adults, to join us for this fun-filled day of learning.

For more information on this event or to join our group, call me at (601) 442-6696 or (601) 445-4000.

 

Pete Smith is president of the Friends of St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge.