Friends Plan Fundraiser and Summer Youth Activities

Slow down!! Fundraiser Ahead!

Miles and miles of bargains! From 9 am – 4 pm on both Friday, June 1, and Saturday, June 2, the Friends will participate in the annual Red River Valley Tourism Association’s Hwy 82 Yard Sale.  Shoppers will find great buys and enjoy browsing in air conditioned comfort in the FOH Center at the Refuge.  You are almost certain to find something you cannot live without!! Sporting goods, dinnerware, collectibles, home décor and more! Event proceeds will go to fund projects and activities at the Refuge.

The annual RRVTA event will include yard sales, garage sales, sidewalk sales, farmers markets and flea markets all along 425 miles of the Highway 82 and Highway 287 corridors and beyond!  From as far as New Boston in the east, to Munday and Seymour in the west, south to Henrietta and north to Quanah, and Frederick and Hugo, Oklahoma and points in between, there will be shopping opportunities.

Along the way, participating towns and entities will have maps available guiding shoppers to the special sales throughout their communities. Some towns will have city-wide yard sales set up at a central location, or spread throughout the community.  Still others will showcase their downtown merchants or their flea markets/trade days.  See  www.redrivervalley.info for more information to help plan your trip.

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Summer Activities for Youth

Summer is the ideal time for children to connect with nature and Hagerman NWR and the Friends are offering the following programs this summer, in addition to Second Saturday forYouth:

For ages 8 – 12 – Nature O’logy Camp – a free, one day outdoor experience; kids will learn who lives in a pond, and about snakes, beavers, birds, wildflowers, butterflies and more!  The program will start at 9 am and end at 4 pm, at the Refuge.  Advance registration is required; simply call the Refuge, 903 786 2826 Mon- Fri during office hours to sign up.

For families with children (recommended for children age 8 and under) – Wild Wednesdays

Wild Wednesdays are set for June 13, 20, 27 and July 11, 18, and 25 and are free of charge.  Children must be accompanied by parent or other responsible adult.

9 – 10 am – Self-guided hike on your choice of one of the five trails at the Refuge

10 am – Story Hour with Granny Blue Bonnet – stories and hands-on activities

Bring a lunch and enjoy a picnic on the patio or in one of the Refuge picnic areas following Story Hour

Add a New Dimension to Your Visit to Hagerman NWR

By Kathy Whaley, Refuge Manager, with photo by Chris Jennings

Calling all nature explorers! Ever see an animal track and wonder what made it? Do you like to look at birds, but don’t have a pair of binoculars? What kind of snake is that lying across the trail? Would a field guide to birds help you determine if you are looking at a Snow Goose or Ross’s Goose?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, or just enjoy digging a little deeper into the great outdoors than a ride down the wildlife drive, the Friends of Hagerman have a new tool to help you. Four backpacks have been stuffed with items including (1) field guides to birds and other species such as trees, reptiles, or amphibians, (2) laminated photos with tracks of a few species of common Refuge wildlife, (3) a note pad and pencil to write down what you found on your visit, (4) binoculars, and (5) even a hand-held, Earthmate GPS to help you find your way to new places on the Refuge!

The best part is….. these backpacks are available for you to check-out and take with you for the day FREE OF CHARGE. All you have to do is stop by the headquarters to pick it up. The only think you will need to provide is a copy of the driver’s license for the person driving the car, and a contact phone number. Come on out and explore Hagerman! There’s a whole natural world out there just waiting on you.

Headquarters at Hagerman NWR is located in a temporary office/trailer on Refuge Road, and is open Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4 pm; Saturday, 9 am - 3 pm, and Sunday, 1 - 4 pm. Holiday hours: open Dec. 24, 10 - Noon; closed Dec. 25. Open Jan. 1, 10 am - 3 pm. Visitors are welcome; please stop and sign in. Free maps, guides and brochures are available in addition to the backpacks.

For more information, please visit the official website for the Refuge, http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/hagerman/index.html and for the Friends of Hagerman, http://www.friendsofhagerman.com.