Thanks to friends like you, Flying Deer Nature Center has been a sanctuary and a source of strength for thousands of children, adults, and families since 1996.
This year, as our children have smelled the smoke of wildfires, felt the summer sun in November, and watched families lose their homes to unprecedented storms, this refuge and the skills that are learned here have become even more essential.
Gaining comfort on the earth, in community, allows us to embrace both the joy and pain of the times in which we live. This process empowers us to stay awake to our empathy, our creativity, and our ability to find collective strength through a diverse circle of voices.
For 28 years, Flying Deer has used timeless nature connection practices to help individuals and families develop resilience, creative problem-solving, and a deep love of the more-than-human world. Tuning their senses and curiosity to the earth, our students develop intellectual strength, confidence, and an innate understanding of the natural world.
The skills we gain when we connect deeply with nature—and with each other—support us to stay in the present moment, and give us the courage to walk where there is no path as we adapt to a changing world.
With your support, Flying Deer will continue to expand the vital role we play in building a more balanced and compassionate world. This year, we will:
- Recommit to a culture of inclusion through conversations, trainings, and work with a DEI consultant
- Continue to seek and integrate perspectives from indigenous teachers and friends
- Boost the skill and well-being of staff through more training time and enhanced benefits
- Broaden our impact through adult skill-building programs with parents, teachers, and leaders
- Increase accessibility by expanding financial assistance awards, teacher training programs, and public school programming
- Offer more tools for students and staff to face the climate crisis both emotionally and physically
Your donation this year supports a growing culture of empathy, interdependence, and positive action. Thank you for the part you have played, and the part you will play, in helping us to continually return to these life-giving experiences, and to share the precious gifts of nature connection far and wide.
With gratitude,
Jaclyn Sinay, Executive Director, and Michelle Apland, Development Director