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Woman's Club of Warren welcomed Jeff Tome, Senior Naturalist at the Audubon Community Nature Center (ACNC), just north of the Pennsylvania border on Riverside Road.
Mr. Tome, who lives in Warren, has dual Bachelors degrees in Environmental Studies and Speech Communications from Edinboro University He has worked in Environmental Education in several states before starting at Audubon in 1996.
The Audubon mission statement is the "Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature by providing positive outdoor experiences, opportunities to learn about and understand the natural world and knowledge to act in environmentally responsible ways."
Just a 15-minute drive north from Warren, the ACNC offers programs at Warren County School District classrooms and those in NY state addressing 18,000 kids in a year. Jeff says the mission, in one word, is: "Wonder," but the ACNC wants to 1) promote getting outside, 2) help people learn what's happening in the outdoors with plants, animals, birds and insects, and 3) take care of the natural world.
In addition, the Nature Center provides rentals, youth classes, yoga, free outdoor events, Nature Play Days for the family, adult education at 1st Friday brown bag lunch sessions, a Gift Shop and Play Camps with free outdoor play to enhance creativity in youngsters to make them comfortable and awed with the outdoors; 34,000 people a year visit the center and walk the free trails.
Mr. Tome took questions from the audience on feeding deer, the prevalence of coy wolves, fishers, bears and fireflies.
Carolyn Worley, Club president, thanked Jeff for his presentation as well as the hostesses for the luncheon, which were Meredith McIntosh and Verlynn Kleppe. Brandi and Jessie from the Warren County Career Center assisted in the self-catered meal given by Rita Mancuso and Nan Cashman.
Mayor Maurice Cashman, Judge Bill Morgan, Glenn Fegely and John Carlson were the debonnaire celebrity servers.
Dues are currently being collected and the Team Up membership discount is available until May 30.
May 7th is the Spring Fling Fashion Show with tickets available by calling Anne, Club manager, at 723-5910 by April 26.
Mrs. Worley announced that Ruth Barnes Shaw will become the Club vice-president for this year and brings many gifts and talents to the position.
The next luncheon is Monday, April 30, when Dr. Karen Black will speak on her wide knowledge of Russia, which was her area of expertise during her years as a university professor. Reservations are due Friday, April 27, by noon. Liz Horsley and Lou Ann Lauger will hostess that day. Information on the Warren Woman's Club is at the web page www.warrenwomansclub.org