Darke County Park District invites children in kindergarten through 2nd grade to join them on February 11th from 10am to 12pm at the Shawnee Prairie Nature Center to explore recycling during Park P.A.L.S! Fall head over heels with saving the environment! Explore how recycling works and ways you can reduce the amount you throw away. We will also learn how to reuse discarded items to make a cool craft.  

Park P.A.L.S. is a series of monthly programs designed for students of this age group who are interested in nature. P.A.L.S. stands for Practicing And Learning Stewardship, and its mission is to develop future earth stewards through meaningful educational opportunities and hands-on experiences in the natural world. A fee of $3 is charged for the program, and registration is required. For any questions about the Park P.A.L.S. program or any other park district programs or to register for the February class, please call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165.

Did you know? It can take up to 1,000 years for a plastic bottle to biodegrade. 

On December 6, 2016, the Friends of the Parks of the Darke Park District gratefully accepted a grant from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation. Nicole Scott, a Remarketing Logistics Supervisor for Enterprise, is a member of the Darke County Civic Theater which performs annually at Darke County Parks’ annual Prairie Days festival and uses the Nature Center facility often.

Because Darke County Parks have a commitment to education and learning offering activities for all ages, Scott applied for a grant from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation for the parks’ Prairie Days festival which includes historical attractions like trade demonstrations, the long hunter encampment, folk music performances, and old fashioned hand crafts. Scott said that she comes from a family of teachers who instilled the value of education. She believes the parks have a plethora of opportunities and activities right in Darke County’s backyard.

The funds will be used to help make the 2017 Prairie Days even better than ever. The park district strives to provide the best possible experience to the residents of Darke County and beyond and to ensure comprehensive education for the stewards of tomorrow. They would like to thank the Enterprise Holdings Foundation for helping to make this possible.

Photo Caption: Back Row (L to R): Dean Whipp, Friends of DCP-Treas.; Roger Etzell, Friends of DCP-Trustee; Dudley Hansbarger, Friends of DCP-Trustee. Middle Row: Tom Smith, Friends of DCP-Trustee; Tom Bish, Friends of DCP-Trustee; Tina White, former Friends of DCP Trustee and current DCP Commissioner; Barbie Hansbarger, Friends of DCP-President. Front Row: Nicole Scott, Enterprise employee and grant applicant; Sandy Hoying, Friends of DCP-Secretary