By LOIS KINDLE
lekindle@aol.com
Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center will host its 18th Annual Camp Bayou Back to School Back to Nature event from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. 1, at 4140 24th St. SE, Ruskin.
It’s an opportunity to spend some quality time outdoors with the kids — or grandkids — before they head back to school Aug. 10, learn something new about the natural world and gather some school supplies in the process.
“Camp Bayou is a magical place for people of all ages to connect with nature,” said Camp Bayou board member and longtime volunteer Noelle Licor. “There’s so much to explore, and it doesn’t matter how many times you visit, you will discover something new with each visit.”
Reservations aren’t required. Admission and parking are free.
Organizations participating in this year’s family friendly event include the Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum, Sam’s Honeybees LLC, Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management, the SouthShore Regional Library, Little Manatee River State Park, Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County, Manatee Viewing Center and the Florida Aquarium.
During the event, kids visit each exhibitor table to gather information; enjoy interactive, nature-related activities; ask questions; and collect some free school supplies. Each of them gets a free raffle ticket for the chance to win larger prizes, like a backpack, lunch bag, journal and more in drawings held every 30 minutes throughout the morning. Recipients must be present to win.
Free cart tours of Camp Bayou will also be available.
The Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum will be open to explore, and its fossil pit will be open. Kids can learn about prehistoric, Pleistocene Period creatures, such as saber-tooth cats, mastodons and giant sloths that roamed the Ruskin area 1.5 to 1 million years ago. Admission is free.
For a $5 dig fee, kids can find their own fossils in the museum’s stocked pit and take home whatever treasures they find.
Camp Bayou’s Outdoor Learning Center’s four walking trails, Native American village, Eagle Audubon butterfly habitat and Nature Center will also be open. The latter features all kinds of shells and bones, George Shambaugh’s incredible bug collection and Ruth Shambaugh’s nature paintings.
“We host Back to School – Back to Nature as a fun way for children to develop an appreciation for nature and actually experience it,” said Dolly Cummings, Camp Bayou Learning Center director. “It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy being outdoors together and see all Camp Bayou has to offer before they start the new school year.”
On another note
Camp Bayou continues to offer day paddle trips on the first and third Saturdays of each month at 9 a.m. The cost is $25 to rent a canoe or kayak and $5 for folks who bring their own. A special Observe the Moon Night Paddle will be offered on Saturday, Sept. 19, starting 7:30 p.m.
Registration is required for all paddle trips. Call 813-641-8545 or email campbayou@gmail.com/.
Camp Bayou will also host its Fall Fright Fest Saturday, Oct. 3, from 5 to 9 p.m. The first walk at 6 p.m. will be for younger children to learn about the area’s native nocturnal wildlife. The 7 p.m. and later walks will be stories about past misadventures at Camp Bayou and the spirits who can't rest, followed by roasting s'mores around a campfire. A $5 donation per person is requested to help cover the cost of supplies.
Registration will open in September.
Camp Bayou is looking for enthusiastic volunteers who love the outdoors and want to pass along that passion to others through hands-on activities, walks and canoe tours and/or help with maintenance and exhibits. Contact Becki Stafford at 813-641-8545 or fill out the form at www.campbayou.org/.
The greatest need is for folks willing to help teach school groups K-6, but there are other opportunities. The center is also looking to fill a director position on the board. If you'd like to help guide Camp Bayou's future, email Dolly for more information at campbayou@gmail.com/.
The Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center is an all-volunteer, 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, operated as a public-private partnership between Hillsborough County Conservation & Environmental Lands Management and Bayou Outdoor Learning and Discovery Inc. The center is located within Hillsborough County’s 200-acre Camp Bayou Nature Preserve.
It's open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, for all sorts of activities, including trail hiking, picnicking, canoeing, photography and wildlife observation. General admission is free. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are permitted, and admission is free.
For more information on Back to School – Back to Nature or the Camp Bayou Outdoor Learning Center, becoming a volunteer or making a donation, visit www.campbayou.org/, email campbayou@gmail.com or call 813-641-8545.