Earthbeat Fall 2015

A Warm Welcome and Thanks to Paul and Jan Heystek We would like to extend a very special thank you to one of our very own staff members here at Ebersole Center! Paul Heystek joined our staff this spring and immediately fell into stride with the fun and crazy place that is Ebersole Center. Paul and his wife, Jan, generously donated a black bear mount and wild turkey mount, both of which have been put on display for our visiting groups.

The new mounts will add to our curriculum and are a great addition to the Center’s collection. Thanks again to Paul and Jan for helping to make Ebersole a great place to learn!

First Annual Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble a Success!

T

he first annual Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble was hosted by the Ebersole Foundation at Timber Ridge Golf Club in East Lansing on Saturday, August 15. It was a perfect day for golf on the beautiful Timber Ridge course. Golfers were a mix of Ebersole Foundation trustees, current Lansing School District teachers and some retirees, friends of Ebersole, and even Lansing Board of Education member Rachel Lewis. Members of the winning foursome – Louie Robinson (Reo), Gordy McKinnon, Rich Gutierrez (Fairview), and Lester Sewell – each received 18 hole passes from Timber Ridge for a repeat opportunity to play the course. Amazing door prizes were donated by Kellie Dean of Dean Trailways including numerous trips to Michigan casinos, tickets and transportation to Cedar Point, and tickets to MSU Football, Men’s Basketball, and Hockey games. Additional door prizes were provided by the Foundation.

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE EBERSOLE CLASSIC SCHOLARSHIP SCRAMBLE WILL BE USED TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO LANSING SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS TO ATTEND THE EBERSOLE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER. Special thanks to Joey Stimac and his staff at Timber Ridge for helping a bunch of non-golfers host their first golf outing. Sincere heartfelt thanks to Kellie Dean for his continued support of the Ebersole Foundation. We are also grateful for the donations we received from friends of Ebersole who were unable to attend the golf outing.

Lastly, thank you to Foundation members Donna Old, Ken Jones, Dave Brigham, and Roger Lewis for making our first annual golf scholarship scramble a success.

Lansing School District Board Member Rachel Lewis and Ebersole Foundation trustees Roger Lewis and Ken Jones head out to their first tee.

V E R N O N D . E B E R S O L E E N V I R O N M E N TA L E D U C AT I O N A N D C O N F E R E N C E C E N T E R FA L L 2 0 1 5

What’s Cookin’?

Naturalist’s Corner

Authentic Amish Refrigerator Pickles

Fall is right around the corner, and with it, Halloween! The bat is perhaps one of the most iconic symbols of Halloween, and they are welcome visitors here at the Ebersole Center.

Ready to eat in 24 hours INGREDIENTS

6 c cucumbers, sliced 1 c green pepper, sliced 1 c onion, sliced Liquid: 1 c cider vinegar 2 c white sugar 1 tsp celery seed 2 Tbsp. salt Slice and layer the veggies into two quart jars. Mix your other ingredients in a large measuring cup and stir well.

Pour over sliced vegetables, evenly in each jar. The sugar will not be dissolved yet. You will finish filling the jars with cold tap water. Shake the jar a few times during the 24 hrs to mix. No need to cook it. Ready to eat in 24 hours. Tastes best if eaten within a week or two.

Harvest Pumpkin Dip from Taste of Home INGREDIENTS

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar.

(Be sure to follow this step instead of just dumping everything in the bowl!) Gradually add the pumpkin, pie spice, vanilla and ginger; beat until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.

Little Brown Bat (Myotis lucifugus)

You might not know it, but we have two bat houses here at the Center. Although many people still have fears and misconceptions about bats, we, in fact, encourage these fascinating creatures to make a home here at the Ebersole Center. Bats, aside from their cute looks, are incredibly beneficial to the environment as both insectivores and pollinators.

The little brown bat is found throughout most of North America. In Michigan this species is especially abundant, and is the most commonly seen and recognized of the bat species.

Little brown bats, as well as most bat species, are incredibly efficient insect hunting machines that can eat 1,000’s of insects in a single night, which is why they are so beneficial to our environment. Bats are such great hunters because they use echolocation (rapid pulses of sound that bounce off an object) to detect and catch their prey. They catch the insects with their tail or wings and bring them to their mouth during flight, which accounts for their erratic flight pattern. They are frequently seen dipping and diving over water, but also forage over pastures, lawns and fields, as well as under street lights. These insectivores eat moths, wasps, beetles, gnats, mosquitoes, midges, and mayflies; just to name a few items on their menu.

Did you know bats are the only flying mammal? Keep reading on the next page to learn more about little brown bats.

What does a little brown bat look like?

These intriguing little bats have relatively long, soft glossy brown fur on their backs and head, and slightly paler, grayish fur on their bellies. Their cute, hairy faces and narrow pointed ears are characteristic of their genus Myotis, the mouse-eared bats. Little brown bat bodies are only 2 ½ to 4 inches long and weigh about as much as a nickel (1/4-1/2 ounce). They are fairly small in size, with a wingspan of 8-9 inches.

What is the lifespan of a little brown bat? Little brown bats live on average, 6-7 years, but some have been known to live up to 21 years! Unfortunately, this species has been largely affected by White Nose Syndrome, an emerging disease in North American bats that has decimated bat populations. Small litters mean dwindling populations as many more die in a given year than are born. Females give birth in the spring generally to a single pup, or twins on rare occasions. They are born with their eyes closed but they open their eyes at 2 days old. The baby clings to its mother’s teat and continues to feed for 2 weeks. The young begin to fly at 3 weeks, and by 4 weeks old they are adult size and fully grown.

What does a bat sound like? Little brown bats make high pitched squeaking sounds that are often inaudible to the human ear, but you might be able to hear a click or squeak if they fly directly above you.

Scholarship Winners Thanks to the generosity of the Ebersole Foundation and the Lansing Education Advancement Foundation (LEAF), we were once again able to offer scholarships to Lansing School District Schools.

This spring, twelve classes were awarded funds to assist with their trips to Ebersole Center.

The winning schools included: • Pleasant View Academy • Cumberland Elementary • Wexford Montessori • Sheridan Road Elementary

Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners!

We look forward to seeing you and your students at Ebersole again in 2016!

Where do little brown bats live? Little brown bats live in various places including houses and buildings, caves and mine shafts, as well as along streams and lakes. Little brown bats utilize 3 different roosting sites; day roosts, night roosts and hibernation roosts. During the spring, summer and fall months, these bats use both day and night roosts, like the two bat houses we have here at the Center. Females form nursery colonies away from the males and have their own day and night roosts. Although day and night roosts may be in the same general location, as opposed to the day roosts, the night roosts allow for the bats to pack in tight to conserve heat.

These bats are most active 1 hour after sunset, and 1 hour before sunrise and may fly up to 30 miles from their home roost to seek food. This large range plays a crucial role in both pollination and insect control.

During the winter the hibernation roosts are used exclusively. In the fall, as temperatures begin to dip and the number of insects decreases, these bats will migrate to their colonies and begin the process of hibernation. During this period, brown bats reduce their body temperatures, slow their heart rates to only one beat every 4 or 5 seconds, and rely on their stored fat to get them through winter. Although they hibernate, little brown bats are not considered true hibernators. During periods of warm weather during the winter, when the temperature reaches 50 degrees (F) or warmer, these bats will emerge from their winter slumber and hunt insects that have emerged in the warmth as well.

What else? Little brown bats are an important part of the ecosystem here at Ebersole and across their range. We are happy to have them as part of the unique environment at the Ebersole Center. Next time you are here at the Center, or even out in your yard or neighborhood just after sunset, take a look into the sky and see if you can see bats flying, dipping and diving for their evening meal!

2015-2016 EBERSOLE CAMP DATES ARE FILLING UP FAST

Don’t be left inside.

Reserve your spot at Ebersole today!

Join the elite group of educators that have found the value of an outdoor environmental education program at the Ebersole Center. If you haven’t gotten your reservation for next year, give us a call or send us an email, we still have dates available. If you have never experienced an environmental education program with your class or school and would like to learn more please visit our website at http:/ebersole. lansingschools.net or contact us at (517) 755-5000, (269) 792-6294 or ebersole@ lansingschools.net.

Ebersole Center is for everyone and every school district. It is a great program at a great value.

Don’t be left inside, get outdoors at the Ebersole Center.

S C E N ES F RO M T H E F I RST A N N UA L

Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble

1

2

3

4 1 Lansing School District teachers Louie Robinson (Reo) and Rich Gutierrez (Fairview) heading out to their first tee.

2 Ebersole Foundation Trustee Roger Lewis getting lined up for his drive.

3 Pete Jordan (Attwood) getting a little putting practice before the game.

4 Retired Lansing School District art teacher Mark Mehaffey having a bite to eat after the first nine.

5 Ebersole Foundation Trustee Dave Brigham drives off the first tee.

5

The first annual Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble was hosted by the Ebersole Foundation at Timber Ridge Golf Club on Saturday, August 15, 2015. It was a perfect day for golf on the beautiful East Lansing course‌

Save the Date!

SECOND ANNUAL

Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble Saturday, August 20, 2016 Timber Ridge Golf Club The second annual Ebersole Classic Scholarship Scramble is already scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2016, at Timber Ridge Golf Club.

Help us help Lansing School District kids experience the Ebersole Environmental Education Center.

Ebersole Foundation | P.O. Box 4802, East Lansing, MI 48823

Winter Wonders Days For the seventh year in a row, Ebersole Center will be offering Winter Wonder Days on select Saturdays in the months of January and February 2016. These events are FREE and open to the public. All equipment is provided but participants are welcome to bring their own.

This is a great time to enjoy exploring the Center trails on snow shoes and cross country skis.

Visitors can even bring a picnic lunch and enjoy eating by the warm fire in the fireplace.

Keep your eyes on your e-mail and on the Lansing School District website for information on 2016 dates. Hopefully winter will continue to bless west Michigan and we will have plenty of Winter Wonder Days to choose from!

Amazon.com Wish List Ebersole Center has a wish list on the popular site Amazon.com! You can view the wish list online by going to: http://www.amazon.com/registry/wish list Locate the box where it says “find someone’s list” and type in Ebersole Environmental Education Center. Make sure to spell it all out correctly or you won’t get to the right page.

On the wish list you will find all sorts of items, big and small; everything from bags of birdseed to washers and dryers. Check it out and see if there are any wishes you would like to fulfill. Thanks in advance for any and all support!

Thanks for the support!

A special thank you to all of the schools and groups who are attending or have attended Ebersole Center this year: Hackett Catholic Central Band Camp, G.L.O.B.E. Bi-lingual Camp, Everett High School Band Camp, Eastern High School Band Camp, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pleasant View Academy, Lyons Elementary, Riddle Elementary, Lansing STEM Academy, Holt High School, Post Oak Elementary, Cumberland Elementary, St. Gerard School, Wexford Montessori, Mt. Hope Elementary, Sheridan Road Elementary, North Elementary, Lewton Elementary, and Eaton Rapids schools.

If your school or group is not listed here it should be! Call us to book a date! .

Please LIKE Ebersole at www.facebook.com/EbersoleCenter.

It’s a great way to stay in touch and be alerted to the many upcoming programs and special events at the Center!