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Focus on Giving: The Power of the Catlin Gabel Endowment

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 4:33pm
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Through a strong endowment, Catlin Gabel is empowered to admit the best and brightest students throughout the region. The other half of the Campaign for Arts and Minds is an effort to increase the Catlin Gabel endowment, especially those funds designated to support our financial aid program. The value of ensuring that qualified students are able to enroll regardless of financial means goes beyond the obvious. As this issue of the Caller so thoroughly reports, the tremendous, often times life-changing impact that financial aid has on an individual student is reason enough to inspire support for this effort; however, it’s also what that student gives back to the school that seals the deal. Inclusivity brings to campus increased potential for leaders to evolve, for differing perspectives to be debated, and for learning to be truly experiential. With students attending from all corners of the Portland metro area, we ensure the richest possible body of inquiry and exploration that would otherwise be lost from the school if we were not able to fulfill our commitment to financial aid.
 
We have a long-term vision that Catlin Gabel may one day be in the position of having its entire financial aid budget funded by endowment income. With the amount we historically take from the endowment each year ranging from 3% to 4.5%, this would require up to $50 million in endowed financial aid funds. As of June 30, our endowed financial aid funds are valued at $7 million. This is a tall order, but we will not lose sight of this goal. Our work to increase endowed financial aid funds continues, one donor at a time.
 
Many donors are pleased to learn that a named fund can be established at Catlin Gabel with a gift of $25,000. Existing fund holders often decide to continue contributions, adding to their fund’s value. Over time, these funds can grow to a point where they provide significant income for financial aid. A mature $250,000 endowed fund could provide $7,500 to $11,250 per year in perpetuity—which will positively affect the lives of deserving students and ultimately enrich the Catlin Gabel experience.
 
Clare Hamill, trustee and co-chair of the Campaign for Arts and Minds, puts it best:
 

I have been a staunch advocate for the financial aid program at Catlin Gabel ever since my daughter Ann Pyne ’07 enrolled as a 9th grader in 2003. In both my personal and professional lives, I have witnessed the incredible outcomes reached when diverse minds come together. Working internationally and collaborating with colleagues on every major continent requires one to adapt to a variety of different perspectives, and quickly. Our children are stepping into a workforce that is increasingly on a world stage, and we only do them justice by ensuring they have the working knowledge and life experiences that will allow them to thrive. I believe that increasing access to Catlin Gabel is the foundation of this commitment.

If you are interested in learning more about Catlin Gabel’s endowment and endowed funds, visit www.catlin.edu/giving/endowed-funds or contact Eileen Andersen, director of development, at andersene@catlin.edu or 503-297-1894 ext. 306.

 

Focus on Giving: Creative Arts Center Fundraising Reaches 50%

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 4:27pm
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From the Fall 2011 Caller

By Craig Hartzman

You learned about the future Creative Arts Center and the accompanying fundraising campaign in the summer issue of the Caller. We have progressed since then! As co-chair of the Campaign for Arts and Minds alongside Clare Hamill, trustee and parent of an alumna, I’m so happy to report that fundraising for the Creative Arts Center has crossed the 50% mark. As of November 3, we have raised $3.48 million and are $2.04 million from being able to break ground on this most important project. This outpouring of generosity is a testament to the enormous value our community puts on fostering creativity in our children.
 
But we are not there yet! The Campaign Committee and I are continuing to work hard to finish what we call the leadership phase of the fundraising effort, in which we are seeking gifts in the $25,000 to $500,000 range that form the corpus of the project. I look forward to a point when gifts at every level will be welcomed. As always, we encourage everyone in the community to continue supporting the Annual Fund, which should always be your first gift to Catlin Gabel in any given school year.
 
A quick personal note: my children started in the Beehive and are now in the Upper School. Having been at Catlin Gabel for the better part of the last decade, I consider myself to be a lifer alongside my daughter and son. Over these years I have been hard at work serving on the Annual Fund volunteer committee; chairing the Gambol; folding endless rows of shirts and bundling 1s, 5s, and 10s at Rummage; and supporting past campaigns for the Beehive, Miller Library, and Hillman Modern Languages buildings. You would think that I would find a way to enjoy my final four Catlin Gabel years in retirement. But when Lark Palma, head of school, and Miranda Wellman ’91, director of advancement, came knocking on my door last year to talk about leading the effort for the Creative Arts Center, I listened to the case they put forth, and I simply could not say no. The need for this building is very apparent once you tour the Middle and Upper School art facilities. While functional and safe, the word “inspiration” certainly escapes you. The vision and the need for this building have been well documented for over 20 years—the time for this is now!
 
To learn more about the Creative Arts Center project, visit www.catlin.edu/artscenter or contact Eileen Andersen, director of development, at andersene@catlin.edu or 503-297-1894 ext. 306.

 

Annual Report 2010-11: Michael Lazarus and Jo Whitsell

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 4:20pm
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From the Fall 2011 Caller

Jo Whitsell and Michael Lazarus, parents of Greyson Lazarus ’23, were new to Catlin Gabel but not new to Portland. When it was time for them to move back from New York to Jo’s Portland hometown in 2010, Catlin Gabel was a clear choice.
 
Coming from the Packard Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights, New York, Jo and Michael wanted to find a suitable fit for their son, Greyson, then entering kindergarten. They found in Catlin Gabel a balance of academic rigor and intellectual freedom for Greyson and a tight-knit, caring, and involved community of parents.
 
Trained as artists, Jo and Michael jumped headlong into the Campaign for Arts and Minds. They understand the importance of nurturing creativity—not only for the purpose of aesthetics, but to help our children to better compete in the job market. Michael, a Rhode Island School of Design alumnus and a Pacific Northwest College of Art faculty member, explains:
 
“The foremost tool that artists use in making their work is the many-faceted act of decision making. Study in the creative arts provides a foundation of critical thinking and creative problem solving. This skill applies to any career path, and gives us thoughtful and often innovative ways of looking at our world. I can’t think of any one thing more important than this to give our children as they prepare for the future.”
 
Having heard the vision for the project from Lark, the two decided to host an event for the Creative Arts Center at their home in the spring. They continued to carry the message among their peers and at other campaign events. Ultimately, Jo and Michael made the decision to support the Creative Arts Center at the leadership level, putting their lasting mark on the project. And all of this happened in their first year at Catlin Gabel, a testament to putting passion to work in philanthropy.  

 

Annual Report 2011: Case Study in Volunteerism

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 4:14pm
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The Campaign for Arts and Minds Committee

From the Fall 2011 Caller

 A great illustration of the enormous impact that a volunteer committee of fundraisers can have on an institution can be found right here at Catlin Gabel in the Campaign for Arts and Minds Committee. Currently numbering nine members, the group reconstituted over the summer of 2010 when the board of trustees voted to re-launch the capital campaign for endowment and the Creative Arts Center.

 
The committee meets monthly and receives weekly updates from the development office on the progress of solicitations. The group also serves as a sounding board for the path and vision of the overall campaign strategy. A mixture of trustees, alumni, parents, and parents of alumni, the committee members keep an ear to the ground for many of Catlin Gabel’s different groups of constituents.
 
“Ours isn’t the kind of work that people may think of when they hear volunteer fundraising,” says Alix Meier Goodman ’71, who is an alumna, a parent of two alumni, and a current trustee. “We’re not dialing for dollars, per se. Our work with this campaign entails meaningful conversations with people and foundations, listening to their interests and successfully matching those with Catlin Gabel’s need to improve its arts programs. Giving is joyful! It’s enormously rewarding to connect donors so there is both maximum impact for the school and satisfaction on their part. I could not think of any other institution or project that I’d rather dedicate my time to than Catlin Gabel’s Campaign for Arts and Minds.”
 
Campaign for Arts and Minds Committee

Clare Hamill
Craig Hartzman
John Gilleland
Al Glowasky
Alix Meier Goodman ’71
Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
Mark Holliday
Bill Lazar
Walter McMonies, Jr. ’65

 

How to Match Reality & Idealism

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 10:34am
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A trustee & parent on why she supports financial aid

From the Fall 2011 Caller

By Elizabeth Steiner Hayward

Knowing that I’m violating a cardinal rule of writing, I’ll start this piece with several rhetorical questions. Why did our family choose Catlin Gabel as the right school for our children? What has inspired us to volunteer our time, energy, and financial resources for the school? What are the values that Catlin Gabel holds dear that we believe should resonate throughout our community and the broader Portland community? A straightforward answer suffices; Catlin Gabel inspires all of us to show our best selves, to reach deep inside and ask tough questions, to accept and rejoice in our commitment to the world around us, to “make the world a better place” (to quote the Girl Scout law).
 
Ideally, this inspiration must be accessible to as many children and families who would benefit from it as possible. Yet economic reality compromises idealism; running a high-quality, progressive, independent school is an expensive proposition, and thus tuition remains beyond the reach of many. To match reality and idealism, Catlin Gabel must have a robust endowment for financial aid, to open our doors to every deserving, qualified student regardless of her family’s means. Without this, our school’s expressed commitment to our ideals and our community becomes hollow and less meaningful.
 
Catlin Gabel without generous financial aid would not be the Catlin Gabel we chose as the right school for our children. It would become a more homogeneous community, less interesting and vibrant. It would ignore the reality of economic diversity that all of our children must understand and appreciate. It would shield our children from the “real world” in which they will all live and work as adults. It would deny the value and contribution of children from all walks of life, from a wide range of circumstances.
 
For the Catlin Gabel community to thrive, we must walk the walk. It is for this reason that our family is so committed to supporting the endowment for financial aid, and that I volunteer on the major gifts committee for our Campaign for Arts & Minds. I love telling others about why we believe so strongly in financial aid, to make Catlin Gabel accessible to the diversity of children and families around the Portland metro area.
 
The Campaign for Arts & Minds is ambitious. We aim to raise funds to build a desperately needed Creative Arts Center, and to fund a thriving, sustainable endowment with special emphasis on financial aid. This endowment will open our doors to many more children who would benefit from attending Catlin Gabel, and would benefit our school from their contributions to our community. However, tuition support alone is not enough. The endowment would also support global education, the teaching and learning center, robotics, outdoor education, and so many other special programs that all our students should benefit from, regardless of their family’s economic reality.
 
We ask a lot of our families at Catlin Gabel. We ask them to engage closely with the school as partners in educating our children, to volunteer time in the classroom or chaperoning dances, to contribute to the Annual Fund. All of those are critical to our children’s success, yet without also contributing to our campaign, without helping open our doors to students who otherwise would be shut out of the Catlin Gabel experience, we are in fact short-changing all our children. Please join me in supporting Catlin Gabel’s future by contributing to our financial aid endowment. The rewards are infinite, and you will make the world a better place.  

 

The Beauty of Not Having to Worry

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Fri, 11/18/2011 - 3:47pm
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By Jessica Ramirez '10

From the Fall 2011 Caller

When I think of my 12 years at Catlin Gabel, I remember mornings running around on the castle-like playground, the little house in the Fir Grove, 12-minute runs on the track on hot days, spending Middle School Breakaway in Seattle, performing HMS Pinafore with a thick layer of makeup smeared on my face, rainy days spent in the library with the beautiful tall ceiling, hopping out of the yellow school bus at the Expo Center to sort piles of pants and shirts, and many one-on-one meetings with teachers. Now I’ve been asked to talk about financial aid at this school. The truth is I never gave much thought to how much it cost to give me my seat in the classroom every day. I had no time to think about it; I had to read Sir Gawain and think of a thesis for an essay, and understand Euclid for the math quiz the next day, and then I had cross country practice after school.
 
It may seem as if I wasn’t appreciative of all the money that was donated for me. However, that is the paradoxical beauty of financial aid; I didn’t have to worry about the money. Instead, I focused on the most important part of attending school, my classes. I carried around and read through piles of books, some of which were very expensive, and I was lucky to not have to give up anything or scramble to cover the costs. Instead, I sat down and read them. Although I didn’t think about the cost often, I am most definitely thankful to the people who financed my education. It wasn’t until this last summer that I really thought about the costs of running a school like Catlin Gabel. I worked on campus in summer programs and spent the rest of summer working in facilities. Many people make a living working at Catlin Gabel through teaching, maintaining, directing, planning, and just getting done the stuff that needs to be done. And all the collective work results in a school that moves students forward.
 
I never thought of anything as unattainable because I wasn’t as wealthy as many of my peers. In fact, I never thought much about how much they had and how much this was in comparison to myself. The social differences in a single school add to the value of financial aid, and the range of family income varied so extraordinarily within the school community. I can’t speak for others, but I think that difference in social class doesn’t register as a significant part of life at Catlin Gabel. Part of that may be the academic rigor that keeps students busy with school, but it’s also the self-confidence found in all the student body, including the financial aid kids. We saw each other as peers in the classroom, and outside of it some of us became friends.
 
Now I’ve left Catlin Gabel, and I think fondly upon the beautiful campus, sweet teachers, and strong friendships. But the school gave me even more than that. It gave me the opportunity to continue on to college and the critical skills to find what I want and then work for it. Catlin Gabel gave me a jump-start to whatever comes afterward, and the people who contribute to it financially made and continue to make a difference in what I’ve had the opportunity to do in my life. Thanks.
 
Jessica Ramirez ’10 was the recipient of financial aid from the Hawley Family Endowed Scholarship Fund. She is in her second year at Macalester College  

 

There's Nothing More Important

Submitted by Nadine Fiedler on Fri, 11/18/2011 - 3:38pm
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Phil Hawley '43 is a great supporter of education & financial aid

By Nadine Fiedler

From the Fall 2011 Caller

He was called “the last of the old-time merchandisers” by Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan. From the time he left college, Phil Hawley ’43 worked tirelessly in the retail business—working up from windows and stockrooms to a position as CEO of the retail giant Carter Hawley Hale. In the midst of his successes, Phil never forgot his experiences at the Gabel Country Day School—and never lost sight of the vital importance of education.
 
The Gabel Country Day School’s most important aspect for Phil was the way teachers encouraged him and his fellow students to think beyond the confines of family and school. “The great thing I took away from Gabel was learning to think critically and analytically about issues in a larger sense. For its time, that focus was quite enlightened,” he says. That bigger picture focus stood Phil in good stead as he studied at Stanford University and Reed College before serving in the Navy.
 
After graduating from UC Berkeley in 1946, Phil opened a small shop in Portland, then worked his way up in the Lipman-Wolfe department store. The store management saw his potential as well as his love of retail, and gave him some great chances. He had found his niche.
 
Phil’s biggest career move came when he left Portland in 1958 to work in largerscale retail for The Broadway, at a time of transition from large downtown stores to branch stores. He flew up the rungs of this aggressive, fast-moving chain, starting as buyer and ending up as chairman and CEO of the corporation. He presided until his retirement in 1993, having overseen the acquisition of other large store chains such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Waldenbooks.
 
Phil loved the pace and the intellectual stimulation of the retail business. “Retailers are deeply involved in their communities, in the very ways life was developing and changing,” he says. “Retail was a broad canvas, and you could go as far as your wishes and wants.”
 
Even during these hectic times as corporate leader and father of a family of eight children, Phil prioritized his service to education. He served on the boards and was named life trustee of the California Institute of Technology, Notre Dame, and the Huntington Library. Phil was also the first lay chair of the board of Los Angeles’s Loyola High School. He never forgot his Gabel roots: he’s a member of the school’s endowment committee, and he established a scholarship for Upper School students. His life is still active as he pursues projects, oversees his family’s investments, and works in his community—and his commitment to providing educational opportunities remains unwavering.
 
“I’m a strong believer in the benefits of financial assistance,” says Phil. “With good financial aid, we can have a child’s aptitude and ability be more important than the family’s financial capacity. If we think deeply about creating the best educational experience for all concerned, we are best served by having many different cultural and economic backgrounds represented by the student body. The importance of financial aid can’t be overstressed.”
 
“I feel that educational opportunities given to any of us and to families in the community at large have the greatest influence on what kind of community and world we have,” he says. “I’m trying to help in any way possible. Supporting education is the most rewarding of any opportunity. There’s nothing more important in the scheme of things.”
 
Phil founded the Hawley Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2004 in honor of his siblings Adele Hawley Davie ’35, Willard Hawley ’41, Dinda Hawley Mills ’44, and Barbara Hawley Hosking ’49. It supports financial aid for Upper School students.
 
Nadine Fiedler is the editor of the Caller and Catlin Gabel’s director of publications and public relations.

 

Catlin Gabel Video Conversations #2

Submitted by Karen Katz on Thu, 11/17/2011 - 12:23pm
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Lark Palma and James Furnary '12 talk about supporting our school

Girls soccer team playing OES for state championship Saturday

Submitted by Karen Katz on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 12:31pm
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Congratulations Eagles!

Girls Soccer Final
Saturday, November 19
10:30 a.m.
Liberty High School

Join us for this exciting match as the varsity girls soccer team faces their friendly rivals for the state title.

Every CG voice is needed.

» Learn the school spirit song

Admission: Cash or VISA/MasterCard only | Adult $8 | Student $5

Can't attend the game? » Check out the webcast on OSAA.tv

 

Anaka Morris finalist in photo contest – vote for her photo!

Submitted by Karen Katz on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 8:00am
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Anaka's photo of Maddy Odenborg '10 was selected from among 2,000 entries in the Oregon Cultural Trust photo competition. The grand prize winner is determined by open voting.

» Vote for Anaka's photo by November 18

You must have a Facebook account to participate.

 

 

Alumnus Peter Lind ’08 named Marshall Scholar

Submitted by Karen Katz on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 6:09pm
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The Catln Gabel community congratulates Peter!

Peter Lind ’08, a senior at the Air Force Academy, has won a prestigious Marshall Scholarship. He was one of 14 candidates advanced by the academy for the Marshall process.

The British government offers Marshall Scholarships to no more than 40 U.S. citizens each year. The scholarship program is named after General George C. Marshall, who helped engineer the Marshall Plan in Europe following the World War II. Scholarship winners, selected from about 1,000 applicants, study towards a master's degree at any university in the United Kingdom.

Peter plans to pursue an MLitt in international security studies and a second MLitt in Middle Eastern and Asian security studies.

After graduating from the Air Force Academy and receiving his commission as a lieutenant this coming May, he will most likely return to the Air Force Academy for a short time to teach younger cadets about the competitive scholarship process. In the summer between his two years in the UK, he will work with the British Air Force. After finishing his degree, Peter will enter directly into pilot training, likely in Texas, to become trained as a fighter pilot for his active duty service. Later he plans to become a military attaché or foreign area officer in the Middle East or Asia.

Peter was very gracious in attributing part of his successful pursuit of the Marshall Scholarship to the preparation he received at Catlin Gabel. He told science teacher Paul Dickinson (Mr. D) he was way ahead of most other Air Force Academy students in his writing skills and work ethic.

Peter added in an email, “Mr. D wrote a letter of recommendation for this scholarship and has played an incredible role throughout my education. I would also like to note that my time in Cuba [during a Catlin Gabel global education trip] was highlighted in paperwork and during my interview at the British Consulate-General – a big thanks to [Spanish teacher] Roberto Villa.”

 

Sophomore Mckenzie Spooner invited to run at Nike competition

Submitted by Karen Katz on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 5:00pm
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Mckenzie is among the top 40 girl cross-country runners in Oregon to compete against the top 40 girls from Washington at the 13th annual Border Clash. The Nike-sponsored event is on Saturday, November 20.

Ghanaian artist in residence presents tonight - Nov 7

Submitted by Karen Katz on Mon, 11/07/2011 - 12:36pm
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Eric Adjetey Anang Slide Lecture
Monday, November 7
7:30 p.m.
Gerlinger Auditorium

Eric Adjetey Anang, a Ga fantasy coffin sculptor from Ghana, is an artist in residence at Catlin Gabel from November 7 to November 11. We have invited him here to demonstrate his amazing art of sculpting a coffin out of wood in whatever shape a family feels best represents their deceased elder. He will be sculpting a woodworker’s hand plane, approximately 7’ long, 3’ wide, and 4’ high, on the front deck of the Barn. Please come ask him questions, watch him work, and feel free to participate in the building of the hand plane.

Two years ago, Michael de Forest, the LS woodshop teacher, traveled to Ghana for a summer and studied with Eric in his carpentry shop in Teshie, near Accra. There is also a US trip planned for Ghana from July 29 to August 19, 2012, where students will be working in the Kane Kwei Carpentry Shop with Eric.

Pumpkin Patch Photo Gallery 2011

Submitted by Karen Katz on Thu, 10/27/2011 - 2:01pm
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Seniors and first graders

Seniors who attended first grade at Catlin Gabel remember going to the pumpkin patch in 2001! This tradition is a school favorite.

To see more photos, including pictures taken at the pumpkin patch, go to the first grade web page.























































How does your garden grow?

Submitted by Karen Katz on Thu, 10/27/2011 - 12:11pm
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by Carter Latendresse, 6th grade English teacher

With each passing week, the garden behind the Middle School expands and improves thanks to the efforts of many community members. From shed doors created by the Upper School shop class to pavers laid by Upper School students, to the latest addition – a cob pizza oven – there are many wondrous elements to discover.

Last spring, Lower and Middle School students submitted 75 drawings for the phase 3 expansion of the garden. The Garden Club selected six winning drawings, all of which included a pizza oven and several new pizza-slice-shaped raised beds for growing pizza ingredients including wheat, tomatoes, basil, onions, garlic, and oregano.

Alumni Kai Yonezawa ’02 and Owen Gabbert ‘02 adapted the six winning drawings and drew up a landscape design and construction plans for garden structures with green roofs and a cob oven with tin roof.

At that same time last spring, then-junior Andrea Michalowsky worked on a design for the phase 3 expansion in her PLACE urban studies class. She designed a ten-by-ten foot chessboard that was completed this fall after a summer crew dug trenches, hauled stone, poured gravel and river rock, and created the area that is now two decks with the chessboard between them.

This fall, the pizza oven became the focus of our attention. Under the guidance of natural builder Eva Edleson, a team of students, teachers, staff, alumni, and parents came together several times in September and October to build the pizza cob oven and its foundation, posts, and tin roof. » Check out photos and a short video of our process.

In 6th grade art class students learned a Matisse stenciling technique and made clay paint to decorate the cob oven. Students and teachers all had a hand in the embellishments. And every year the new 6th grade class can repaint over the previous year's design.

The icing on the cake for this project is green roofs to protect our community garden. Parents of 6th graders are donating sedum and grasses to create this living legacy.

Stay tuned for information about the first annual chess tournament in the garden and for the inaugural firing of the cob oven. Pizza time!

At this time of new beginnings, it is important to look back and acknowledge the countless hours of volunteer time and professional expertise that have gone into the garden. Many hands and generous hearts have contributed, which makes this garden so very organic and special. Thank you to the more than 45 people who have helped to create this beautiful, growing space with artistry, dedication, and hard work.

Volunteers of note include staff members, parents, alumni, students, and friends: Paul Andrichuk, Zoe Edelen-O'Brien, David Ellenberg, Ema Elredge, Ann Fyfield, Herb Fyfield, Meghan Galaher, Peter Green, Larry Hurst, Henry Latendresse, Emma Latendresse, Theresa Long, Matt Maynard, Adam Maynard, Chenoa Ohlson, Barbara Ostos, Tchassanty Ouro-Gbeleou, Carol Ponganis, Dale Rawls, David Reich, Simon Schiller, Jason Stevens, Kellie Takahashi, Hen Truong, Katie Truong, Tom Tucker, Spencer White, David Zonana, and the students in the outdoor leadership and adventure class.
 

Science teacher giving talk about bats

Submitted by Karen Katz on Tue, 10/25/2011 - 3:10pm
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7th grade science teacher Peter Ritson speaking at Washington State University in Vancouver

Peter and his wife, Christine Portfors, associate professor of biology at Washington State University Vancouver, host their annual Bat Talk from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 29, in the Dengerink Administration building, room 110 at Washington State University in Vancouver. This event is an especially fun fall activity for families with children ages 4 – 12 and is free and open to the public.

While the season often calls for depicting bats as blood-sucking, vicious creatures, now families have an opportunity to see live bats up close and learn why these animals are largely misunderstood. In addition to teaching guests about bats, Christine and Peter will offer fun children’s activities including arts and crafts.

In their presentation, Peter and Christine dispel popular folklore and teach guests about the beneficial role bats play in nature managing insect pests, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. They will showcase different bat species and introduce guests to a few of their captive tropical fruit bats.

WSU Vancouver is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Avenue off the 134th Street exit form either I-5 or I-205. Parking is free on weekends.