Frozen fun for everyone at nature center

NAVARINO — Elsa the Snow Queen, Princess Anna and Olaf the snowman joined in the fun at the Navarino Nature Center on Saturday.
Using a theme based on the Disney animated “Frozen” film, the winter open house featured lots of activities for young and old to enjoy.

“We’ve been using the ‘Frozen’ theme for the past five years, and it’s been very successful,” said Kaylee Lietz, assistant naturalist at the Center.

Elsa, also known as Ally Steel from Shawano, has enjoyed playing the part for three of the past five years.

“I like seeing the kids have fun,” said Steel.

Indoor events included face painting, rolling plastic snowballs at plastic bowling pins, throwing cloth snowballs into an Olaf cut-out and a making variety of crafts to take home.

“I love seeing the faces of the kids when they see you,” said Jessica Ewing, Bonduel, who posed as Anna for a third year. “They really believe you’re the character.”

The annual winter open house is an opportunity to get families out to the property to enjoy winter activities. Lietz noted that they offered snowshoeing and cross country skiing rentals free of charge during this event to generate interest in those sports.

The event draws people from several counties, according to Lietz. In addition to keeping track of the number of attendees, the volunteers at the registration desk kept track of where people came from and how they heard about the event. One family came from Appleton after and others came from Kaukauna and Green Bay to join family living in the area.

For Carleton Kirshner, of Kaukauna, it was an opportunity to spend time with his young granddaughters from Clintonville.

James Robaidek is a wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources and was on hand to help with the event. He explained that the nature center is a private nonprofit organization that operates on the Navarino Wildlife Area which is about 15,000 acres. In a cooperative effort the DNR and the nature center host several events during the year.

“I work the counties around Shawano County,” said Robaidek, “And this event attracts the kids, but we do get a lot older people at this event, too.”

Robaidek noted that a lot of the Navarino Wildlife Area is accessible by wheelchair even in the winter time. The DNR recently completed a project laying down fine gravel pathways for wheelchair accessibility. Robaidek noted the paths aren’t everywhere, but there are many miles of them.

Lietz anticipated that well over 200 people attended the event, which was sponsored by Thrivent Financial and Dairy Queen.

FYI
Navarino Nature Center, W5646 Lindsten Road, Shiocton is open Tuesday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact 715-758-6999 or navarino.org
Navarino Wildlife Area is open 365 days per year 24/7 and is maintained by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.