Volunteer Work Day takes place Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Help SLNC maintain its grounds. Be prepared to get wet and dirty. Bring a refillable water bottle. Give four hours and SLNC will provide lunch. This event is rain or shine. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Volunteer Holiday Potluck takes place Thursday, Dec. 12, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. This is a chance to come together, bring dishes to share, meet new friends, visit with old ones and enjoy the season’s greetings before a new year begins. All volunteers are welcome, along with a guest. RSVP online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building. Please let SLNC know what type of dish you’ll be bringing and if you’ll have a guest.
120th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count takes place Saturday, Dec. 14, from 6:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Join Robert Mercer and a team of birders for this fun, free event. All levels of experience (including no experience) are welcome to participate in this important citizen science national bird census. Come out for the whole day or part(s) of the day. Meet at Neshaminy State Park or at SLNC. Times/meeting locations will be confirmed upon registration. Binoculars are available to borrow. Let SLNC know if you’ll need them. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Step II Productions A Christmas Carol takes place Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. This event is held in the auditorium of the SLNC Visitors’ Building. Contact Step II Productions for details and tickets at 215-946-4530 or stepiidancecenter.com.
Winter Solstice Celebration with the Serene Sound of the Harp takes place Monday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. Professor Gloria Galante will lead this concert, which will feature the West Chester University Harp Ensemble. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center organization. Admission is $5 per person. Please pay at the door.
Winter Solstice Night Hike & Campfire takes place Friday, Dec. 20, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Join SLNC on the shortest day of the year and enjoy a special night on the Silver Lake Trails after dark, followed by a campfire and marshmallows, as well as a visit to the SLNC Earthship. Cost is $10 per person, or $8 per person for Friends of Silver Lake members. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Bird Seed Sale Pick-up (for orders placed by Dec. 14) takes place Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bird watching is more fun when you can attract them to your own yard, so fill your feeders with one of SLNC’s special mixes. Friends of Silver Lake members receive a 10 percent discount on all bird seed orders. Place an order online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Winter Story Hike takes place Saturday, Dec. 21, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. This hike will put a spin on “story time,” requiring participants to walk the trails to get to the next page. The story will focus on the transition from fall to winter. Dress for the weather. Cost is $3 per person, or $2 per person for Friends of Silver Lake members. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Kids’ Nature Days take place Friday, Dec. 27 and/or Monday, Dec. 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Why only have camp in the summer when you can do it in all seasons? Kids’ Nature Days are scheduled for days when most schools are off. Each day provides exciting seasonal adventures for children. Staff and campers spend the days exploring the forest, swamps and marsh in all weather. Kids’ Nature Days in 2020 include Jan. 20, Feb. 17 and April 9 and 10. Cost is $40 per child per day for 2019 Summer Camp Families, $50 per child per day for Friends of Silver Lake members, and $65 per child per day for non-members. Balance must be paid in full at time of registration. For a “buy three, get one free” deal, you must pay in full at the time of registration in order to qualify for a free Kids’ Nature Day. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Wilderness Survival Series takes place Saturday, Dec. 28, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. The arts of map-reading and compass-use are very useful tools when exploring the wilds of Pennsylvania. Use of GPS on cell phones may give many people false confidence. Learn how to combine these tools in the deep woods of SLNC. Cost is $3 per person, or $2 per person for Friends of Silver Lake members. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Winter Homeschool Enrichment Series takes place on Wednesdays, Jan. 8 through Feb. 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. This is an option for families who take a different approach to educating their children, ages 6-17. This program provides an opportunity for children to get hands-on experience within the STEM disciplines without formal constraints. Each of the lessons are developed with the PA Standard Aligned System (SAS) in mind and ensure that children will excel in all settings. Children should dress for the weather and be prepared to get dirty. Cost for members is $100 for the 8-week session, or $15 per class on a class-by-class basis. Cost for non-members is $120 for the 8-week session, or $18 per class on a class-by-class basis. Registration is now open. Register online, by phone or at the Visitors’ Building.
Eco-music Group Concert – Music of Puerto Rico takes place Sunday, Jan. 5 at 3 p.m. Listen, sing, dance and enjoy. This event features professor Gloria Galante on harp, Suzzette Ortiz on piano, Raul Berrios on percussion, Asaf Berrios on steel drum, and dancing by Waleska Lopez. A special part of this concert will include learning about the many different instruments that Raul made by reusing/recycling items that may have otherwise been trash. Concert will be held inside the Visitors’ Building. Tickets are $12 per person in advance, $15 per person at the door. Advance ticket sales end on Jan. 4, 2020 at 5 p.m. Prices are the same for all ages. No refunds/exchanges. Tickets are currently available online and by phone.
Silver Lake Nature Center is located at 1306 Bath Road, Bristol. For more information, visit SilverLakeNatureCenter.org or call 215-785-1177.
