Rogers Winter Living Celebration

Save the date! Join us for the next Winter Living Celebration: Saturday, January 10, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

sleigh rides

Rogers Environmental Education Center invites you to join in a day of winter festivities at its annual Winter Living Celebration, held at the beginning of January. This one day event combines the talent of DEC staff, volunteers, and members of the local community to celebrate the wonderful season of winter. The goals of the event are to encourage participation in various outdoor activities, increase awareness of state and local lands where these activities are encouraged, and educate how other organisms endure winter

cross-country skiing

Many local organizations are involved in the celebration. Members of the Chenango Chapter of Trout Unlimited help children to tie flies for fly fishing; a sportsmen's group shares information about hunting, trapping, and taxidermy. Local boy scout troops demonstrate winter camping, bow and drill fire making, and how to build snow shelters and rope bridges. Information on places to hike, ski or bike in New York State is available from members of the Finger Lakes Trail Association and the North Country Trail Association.

wood cutting

The Sherburne Rotary and Sherburne Lions clubs each provide lunch food throughout the day.DEC personnel from Region 7 are always a part of the day. Forest Rangers exhibit search and rescue equipment and share information about being safe and preventing frostbite. Foresters have exhibited forestry tools and provided information about 'hot topics' in forestry. Operations staff often bring a portable sawmill and conservation officers have demonstrated the use of K9's in their work.

fly tying

The celebration occurs whether or not there is snow cover on the ground. With snow, visitors can try snowshoes and cross-country skis and ride the horse-drawn sleighs. In years with little snow, horse-drawn wagons carry people across the grounds to see the places where both animals and people have used the resources of the land to survive. Visitors can always try cutting a log with a two-person cross-cut saw and take the resulting cross section or 'tree cookie' home. Many activities are presented each year because they are favorites, including music, storytelling, live animal demonstrations, and a sled dog exhibit. Other activities are added each year to try to keep the celebration new and changing such as Native American uses of natural resources and activities for children like casting for fish.

storyteller John Porcino

There is something to suit everyone's interest inside and outside throughout the day. The best part is that it is all FREE, thanks to the support of the Friends of Rogers and local sponsors.

So, come out and enjoy the day with us. Snowshoes and cross-country skis are welcome, but please leave ice skates at home.

sled dogs