Harris Nature Center Foundation Turtle Toast set for ‘under the stars’ Saturday, Aug. 17

Live music, comradery highlight annual fundraising event 

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP, MICH. — Harris Nature Center Foundation presents Turtle Toast 2024, 7-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 17. The annual fundraiser will feature live music under the stars at the Harris Nature Center pavilion, 3998 Van Atta Rd., Okemos.

Tickets are $20 each in advance when purchased by Thursday, Aug. 15. At the door, they are $30, cash or Venmo. The low ticket price is due to several event sponsors, so nearly all ticket sales can support the Harris Nature Center. Tickets are available at bit.ly/HNC-TT-2024.

The 21+ event will feature the blues band, The Further Adventures of Fatboy and JiveTurkey. Guests are encouraged to bring a comfy chair and their drink of choice (no glass). Light refreshments will be provided, including gourmet desserts created by foundation board member Ashley Stofer. 

“This is our annual event where we can enjoy the park, mingle with friends and meet new ones all with a common desire to make Harris Nature Center a premier destination for interacting with and learning about nature,” said Melissa Benbow, Harris Nature Center Foundation vice president. “It’s an opportunity to do something different this summer. So, get out of your shell and come join us!”

Proceeds go to the foundation to help fund special projects at the Harris Nature Center. Recent expenditures include adding a concrete bed, embedded with larger fossils, to the popular hands-on Fossil Dig educational exhibit. The smaller real and replica Michigan fossils in the original sand bed were rehidden in sand on top of the new concrete bed. 

Two new foundation-funded exhibits in the Nature Exploration Area are the Weather Station and Log Crawl-Thru Tunnel. A significant Kiwanis Club of Haslett-Okemos donation helped fund the Log Tunnel. The foundation has also awarded several bus scholarships to schools this year that help students in Greater Lansing attend HNC educational programs.

Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Rd., Okemos, comprises 48 acres of the Meridian Riverfront Park. HNC offers environmental activities and outdoor recreation opportunities that focus on protecting, promoting and interpreting the Red Cedar River. 

Park amenities include a half-mile of paved trail, several miles of natural trails, the River Overlook, Nature Exploration Area and the handicapped-accessible observation deck with three commercial binocular stands. The Nature Building provides interpretive exhibits, nature murals by local artists, and displays of live, native Michigan wildlife. A pavilion is available for event rental. Meridian Township staff offers educational programs for visitors of all ages. 

Harris Nature Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2006 to provide a source of funding for special projects to enhance the facilities and programs of Harris Nature Center, a 48-acre park operated by Meridian Township. More information is at http://hncfoundation.weebly.com/. 

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Photo captions

HNC-Turtle Toast 2024.jpg – Bring a chair and some friends to the Harris Nature Center pavilion for the Harris Nature Center Foundation Turtle Toast 2024.