Kropscott Environmental Center Ice Cream Social – July 2022

By Andrea Gerstle, KEC Volunteer

The summer Ice cream social at Kropscott Environmental Center was a big success! No surprise, since there was ice cream and a beautiful, warm summer night. We had over 100 people from the Fremont area come and enjoy the fun and activities. The scavenger hunt led families around the Center to see all the diverse displays while collecting clues about science and the environment.

The first stop was the “Centennial” barn where everyone could gather clue number one and choose their favorite ice cream. The hunt continued to the ice-cream making area where kids of all ages could see how ice cream is made the old-fashioned way with a turn crank. Some visitors volunteered to help “turn the crank'' and everyone enjoyed a sample of the homemade vanilla ice cream.

The hunt took families to a display on composting materials and one lucky winner took home a home composting unit. Other stops included displays on healthy soil and a chance to look at sunspots through the telescopes at the Wessling Observatory. 

Some families enjoyed a ride on the people mover around the field and to the forest area of the Center. There were lots of laughs at the photo board as families took pictures as ice cream cones. Kids who completed the scavenger hunt were rewarded with a magnifying glass to take home as a souvenir.
    
We must send a big thank you to the Newaygo Conservation District and Magna Mirrors for their contributions and support of this event. Thank you as well to the 30 local volunteers who gave their time and talent to make this event possible. Even Mother Nature cooperated and sent the showers and thunderstorms south of Newaygo on the 21st. 

We hope families and nature lovers will watch the paper and social media for news of our next free community event and come and join the fun.

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