Nancy Murray’s devoted a large portion of her life to helping preserve the environment and educating children about all the plants and animals around them.
‘It’s a wonderful feeling to see a kid turned on to nature and the outdoors,? she said.
To help ensure everything she holds dear endures for future generations, the Addison resident is co-chairing the Seven Ponds Nature Center’s Capital Campaign to raise $1.8 million for the updating and expansion of its existing facilities to accommodate an ever-increasing number of visitors.
‘We have needed to do this for many, many years,? said Murray, noting the center’s present 4,500-square-foot facility, built in 1973, simply isn’t adequate for the number and variety of activities taking place there.
This fact is painfully obvious when one considers the annual number of children visiting the center has gone from 2,000 in 1967, when the center opened, to approximately 12,000 today.
‘We really draw from a big area,? Murray said. Kids come from the Flint area, Oakland, Macomb and Lapeer counties, the Thumb area, Redford, even Sandusky, Ohio.
Located in Dryden Township and affiliated with the Michigan Audubon Society, Seven Ponds Nature Center offers visitors 468 acres of natural beauty and diversity.
The property contains deep glacial lakes, ponds, marshes, fields, woodlands and prairie, all of which provides sanctuary to a wide variety of plants and animals.
‘It’s a wonderful place and it’s a gem to the community,? Murray said.
From field tours and school programs to special interest groups/clubs and casual visitation, the nature center offers education and relaxation to people of all ages.
‘We have classes both for adults and for children,? Murray said.
She began volunteering at Seven Ponds in 1970. ‘I originally started because I had three little kids and I just loved nature, loved the outdoors and working with kids,? she said.
Murray was part of the first group of teaching volunteers, called assistant naturalists, who started conducting classes in 1971.
Assistant naturalists help out with a variety of nature center programs, particularly those involving school kids.
For many years, she conducted seasonal trail walks which meant leading a group of 12-14 children hiking through the center’s property as she highlighted different areas and discussed things like habitat and ecology.
‘We’d talk about what we saw along the trail,? Murray said. ‘I’ve led so many school kids from Oxford over the years. The first kid I had is now 22.?
Due to her status as a seasoned volunteer, Murray doesn’t lead as many groups now as she once did, but she still enjoys spending a week each year teaching the nature’s Summer Field School, a popular summer day camp program for kids ages 2-14.
Through a combination of walks, crafts, games and other activities, the children get plenty of exposure to nature.
‘You get kids up there sometimes who have never been in the woods before,? said Murray, who’s served on Seven Ponds Board of Directors on and off since 1980. ‘It’s very rewarding to have them recognize that you can see a spider and you don’t have to screech or you don’t have to step on every worm you see.?
Being ‘good stewards of the land? and trying ‘to impress upon others how important it is to take care of the land that we have? is what Seven Ponds is all about.
‘We have to pass on what we’ve learned to the next generation,? she said.
And that’s exactly what this capital millage, for which approximately $1.3 million has already been raised, is designed to do.
Plans call for adding 4,500 square feet to the existing building to give it a large auditorium/multipurpose room perfect for school groups, lectures and special events.
The renovated nature center will also feature more office space, new restrooms, expanded exhibit space, improved bird observation area and a new building entrance complete with reception area and gift shop.
To accommodate the rising number of visitors, the parking lot will be expanded from 14 spaces to about 55 spaces.
All contributions to the project are 100 percent tax deductible.
‘Everybody who deals with us feels we’re a worthwhile organization that’s well-run and well-organized,? Murray said.
For a longtime volunteer like Murray, helping the capital campaign succeed is her way to say thanks for all that Seven Ponds has done for her as far as enriching her life.
‘When you’re a volunteer, if you’re doing what you really love, you get a lot more than you give,? she said.
For more information about Seven Ponds Nature Center visit www.sevenponds.org or call (810) 796-3200.