America Recycles Day is Nov. 15, 2014

America Recycles Day: U-Cycle, Recycle, Bicycle!

Saturday, November 15
10am-2pm
Anita Purves Nature Center
1505 N. Broadway, Urbana
FREE

Join the recycling celebration! Although the event will take place indoors, the spirit is in keeping with the C-U Outdoors Club,  because this year's theme focuses on bicycles! During the event, kids will have the opportunity to make some creative decorations for their bikes using repurposed items.

Make your own creation from reused or repurposed materials at home before the event, and enter to win an award in the Creative Reuse Competition. Participants of all ages and skill levels are welcome. A panel of judges will score each entry for usefulness, reused/recycled content, ability to be recycled, creativity, and complexity. See here for competition rules and a complete list of recyclable items that can be dropped off during the event. Bring in the most of any one of the recyclable items above and win a prize! Questions about the event or the competition? Contact Savannah Donovan at 217-384-4062 or sydonovan@urbanaparks.org.

This event is always a great time. Staff from U-Cycle and the I.D.E.A. Store will also be at the event. Stop by any time from 10am to 2pm to enjoy the festivities. We look forward to seeing you there!

Textures Hike in Meadowbrook Park

Thank you to all of the families who participated in the C-U Outdoors Club Free Family Nature Hike in October! For those of you who were not able to join us, the theme of our hike was textures.

Families were presented with a textured scavenger hunt sheet that had tactile examples of items that feel soft, rough, bumpy, smooth, stringy, and sticky. Then, we searched for similar-feeling items in the prairie at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana.

We felt leaves, stems, and seed pods, and learned about what kinds of plants they came from. We also found deer tracks, fuzzy wooly-bear caterpillars and a huge praying mantis that flew right to us!

The next club gathering and hike is coming up on Saturday, November 22nd. I hope you can join us in our exploration of Crystal Lake Park where we will focus on all of the amazing trees! We will meet at the Anita Purves Nature Center (1505 N. Broadway, Urbana) where you will find parking and can use the restrooms before we depart on our adventure. C-U then!

Free! C-U Outdoors Club Free Family Nature Hikes
Saturdays, 12:30-2pm
Nov 22: Crystal Lake Park
Dec 13: Busey Woods
Learn hiking tips and tricks to use when you explore nature with your family and friends. Nature center staff will share information about plants and animals and guide fun trail activities. Hikes will take place rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. Everyone is welcome to these family nature hikes; just sign-in when you arrive. Call 384-4062 for more information.