Registration for 2014 Eco Center Summer Camps Starts Feb 5. Don't Wait to Reserve Your Spot!

The Natural Choice for Summer Camp – The Evanston Ecology Center

In the middle of a frigid winter, it’s not easy to think about what your children will be doing this summer.  But registration for City of Evanston summer camps is just around the corner. 

The Evanston Ecology Center’s environmentally focused camps are an  outstanding summer camp option for parents who want their kids to gain an appreciation of the outdoors.  Since many of these eco camps fill up quickly, parents should register during the upcoming lottery registration period to secure their child’s slot in their camp of choice. 

Lottery Registration will run from Feb. 5 -12 and will use a computerized lottery system to assign camp slots. The process, now  easier and faster for parents, is designed to fairly allocate slots in camps that  have high demand. 

Open registration will start at 9 a.m. Feb. 17 and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Both the lottery and open registration can be accomplished by phone (847-448-8256), online (www.evanstonenvironment.org/Summer_Camps.html) or in person (at the Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.).

This summer’s Ecology Center camps, billed as the “natural choice” for area parents, are expected to give more than 800 children an experience that combines fun, outdoor adventure, and an introduction to environmental science and nature topics.

“Our summer camp program has gotten more popular each year because kids have the unique opportunity to have fun, enjoy the outdoors, and learn about the environment and nature as part of their camp experience,” said Claire Alden, environmental educator at the Ecology Center. “You can see in the kids a growing appreciation of nature and a development of good habits towards the environment.”

“We at the Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) relish our role in helping promote the Ecology Center summer camps,” said Rick Nelson, president of the EEA, the nonprofit partner of the Ecology Center.  “Families who have participated in past years love the camps because they offer a truly unique curriculum like no other in Evanston and the surrounding communities.”

The camps are designed for grades K–8 and run from June 9 through Aug. 15.  Camp sessions are both two and four weeks in length and are led by City of Evanston staff members with backgrounds in education, natural history and recreation.

For more information, call the Ecology Center (847-448-8256), or visit the center in person, at 2024 McCormick Blvd. Read more about the camps, at www.evanstonenvironment.org/Summer_Camps.html

The Evanston Ecology Center, built in 1974 by a group of local citizens, serves as a focal point for environmental education and volunteerism in the community.  Its mission is to offer educational programs to the local community that will foster a greater appreciation, awareness and knowledge of the natural environment.

The EEA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the long-term success of the Ecology Center and its staff in their efforts to provide quality environmental and sustainability education to children and adults in the surrounding community.

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