Schmeeckle Reserve is a resource for both the community
and UW-Stevens Point campus. A newly formed Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve
offers individuals, families and groups a chance to support it.
Dan Marx of Stevens Point began walking the Schmeeckle
trails to rebuild his strength after a back injury a few years ago. He now
serves on the 12-member board of directors for the newly formed Friends of
Schmeeckle Reserve group. He and others believe the community welcomes an
opportunity to support the 280-acre nature preserve, which is open to the
public.
Memberships to join the nonprofit organization are now
available. The Friends will provide community support for the reserve through
educational programs, outreach, land management and acquisition, and
fundraising.
Memberships are available for students, individuals,
families, and corporations. The cost ranges from $10 to $50.
The Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve is sponsoring the
reserve’s Candlelight Hike Festival, slated for 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, April
25. The festival features torch-lit trails, a campfire program, craft tables
and hands-on discovery stations. The Friends will staff a table at the event
and accept membership registrations that evening.
“We hope to build even stronger bonds with the central
Wisconsin community in the coming years,” said Ron Zimmerman, Schmeeckle
Reserve director.
Benefits for Friends members include a newsletter,
invitations to special events, volunteer opportunities and voting rights at an
annual member meeting.
Schmeeckle Reserve is an outdoor classroom managed by
the university’s College of Natural Resources. Five miles of walking and biking
trails weave through its wetlands and forests.
To
join the Friends of Schmeeckle Reserve, sign up online at www.uwsp.edu/schmeeckle. For more
information, contact the Reserve’s Community Outreach Coordinator Megan Espe at
mespe@uwsp.edu or 715-346-4992.
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