Handke Family Center

Each and every year our Nature Explore Classroom has continued to grow and progress. This year, in particular, we added a community vegetable garden donated by the MN Horticultural Society and their Garden-in-a-Box program.

While it’s always exciting to reflect on how we grew each year, this year I’d like to focus a little more “behind the scenes” and thank all those that participate in helping our Nature Explore Center exist!

It takes a lot to maintain our Nature Explore Center. It starts with our Nature Explore Center Committee which consists of Coordinator, Liz Frink, Beth Thorsen, Sue Hix, Lisa Davis, Liz Lewis Lisa Miner, Cindy Nyquist and Hannah Sweet. These are the people behind the passion that drives our NEC!

Next, I would like to send a shoutout to our Garden-in-a-Box helpers this year and a special thanks for patience as we figured out what exactly managing a garden in a box looked like. Molly, Samantha and Brady Sanders, Mandy and Mason, Katelyn and Dominic, and Christina and Alis HAckenmueller, thank you for your dedication to our program!

Finally, I would like to say a Great Big Thank You to all our volunteers that devote much of their time throughout the summer months when few kiddos are here to maintain and upkeep the gardens and grounds of our NEC. Nikki, Chet and Anna Nordemeier, Miss Bonivie, Mary Dwyer, Joan Frick, Sue Hix, Liz Lewis, Chicka, Ren and Kan Ridder, Toni, Ashley, Payton and Raymond LeBlanc, Zoe Thorsen, Franklin Blake, Hazel and Harland Frink and the Central Lutheran Church crew: Thank you! You help keep this place looking good and flourishing with the many colors, textures, smells and sights the keep kids interested and wondering about nature! That is such important work to pass down through generations. It isn’t always easy work either-this is hard labor. Thanks for all you do for us. We really appreciate YOU!