News

Sign up for our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter by email – click on the link in the panel on the right ===>

Milestones

To read our Newsletter for an earlier month, please scroll down to that month, copy the text beginning with https: and paste it into your browser address line, and go!

May 2023 https://mailchi.mp/68a4ccd26f77/sminc-monthly-newsletter

April 2023 https://mailchi.mp/6c17a111945f/sminc-monthly-newsletter-april-2023

March 2023  https://mailchi.mp/e9d9f39a94e7/sminc-monthly-newsletter-march-2023-win-a-prize

February 2023  https://mailchi.mp/8ee935b6ba51/sminc-monthly-newsletter-february-2023

January 2023  https://mailchi.mp/c17709bbf186/sminc-monthly-newsletter-january-2023

December 2022 https://mailchi.mp/af825197fb86/sminc-monthly-newsletter-december-2022

November 2022 https://mailchi.mp/ad8b351c99a1/sminc-monthly-newsletter

October 2022 https://mailchi.mp/006dcfcefcca/sminc-monthly-newsletter

September 2022 https://mailchi.mp/895b3cff1904/sminc-monthly-newsletter

August 2022 https://mailchi.mp/e686252839a9/sminc-monthly-newsletter-august-2022

July 2022 https://mailchi.mp/9b4eea0b42e4/se7n4t01kf

June 2022 https://mailchi.mp/b5d9ebf7a367/3prffiup3a

May 2022 https://mailchi.mp/9fcba4a17b70/3ndbscl96w

April 2022 https://mailchi.mp/d9d6d0ba345e/r1cubjs632

March 2022 https://mailchi.mp/b33bf6fa8b4c/cmdl159o60

February 2022 https://mailchi.mp/7aecde391cf9/february-2022-sminc-monthly-newsletter

January 2022  https://mailchi.mp/0eb47263d25a/y9zgx43u6p

December 2021 https://mailchi.mp/8375ba8c165a/sminc-monthly-newsletter

November 2021 https://mailchi.mp/5807c092a374/f3wkisb63v

October 2021  https://mailchi.mp/496142647b62/i5tshfbq6w

September 2021 https://mailchi.mp/920b9439a268/kqt1fr0mfm

August 2021 https://mailchi.mp/be111537b846/k8ux1jjx8r

July 2021 https://mailchi.mp/ebcb8f62f9bc/74g1hdh1ay

June 2021 https://mailchi.mp/76a9837d3cad/w0s28oxhzz

May 2021 https://mailchi.mp/0cf987708919/b5fc87zxn5

April 2021 https://mailchi.mp/9935970d7809/h39g70xnae

March 2021 https://mailchi.mp/c05f1afc8c1d/i0q7naiwfz

February 2021 https://mailchi.mp/d4e7fdf62789/xv4g7hjlts

January 2021 https://mailchi.mp/c34fc0f57122/kmn4nracy5

December 2020 https://mailchi.mp/bfa36b8e3874/sminc-monthly-newsletter

November 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/a8eb2adb13b0/p1d0ec2g52
October 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/c015c40c1101/sminc-monthly-newsletter
September 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/dcb27fb6cc9c/cixyhftjkp
August 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/ea36ebf94def/qurupi3hy1
July 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/e2e7a7f161d6/rd0sefwo9i
June 2020 Newsletter https://us18.admin.mailchimp.com/campaigns/show?id=1307596
May 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/ef5124b00502/ltxps5pclt
April 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/34d815a37ddc/kf53afihj3
March 2020 Newsletter Printable SMINC March 2020 Newsletter
February 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/8b27b757b14d/l3vklns7di
January 2020 Newsletter https://mailchi.mp/649ec03e418a/vhnlnqi4el
Jan 2020 paste  https://mailchi.mp/649ec03e418a/vhnlnqi4el
Jan 2020 paste plain text https://mailchi.mp/649ec03e418a/vhnlnqi4el

January 1, 2020 Tony Manzara becomes Acting Director at SMINC
  • December 2019 Newsletter
  • November 2019 Newsletter
  • Front Benches installed and now ready to use
  • October 2019 Newsletter
  • October 1st 2019 new benches delivered, to be installed by volunteers
  • September 2019 Newsletter
  • August and early September 2019 a very rainy spell puts the new Rain Garden to the test, and it passes!
  • August 2019 Newsletter
  • August 7th, 2019 Based on a very generous donation offer from Jim Weber General Contracting of Stillwater, Lake Elmo City Council approved our request for permission to install a patio behind the building.  It will be a beautiful place to enjoy nature.
  • July 2019 Newsletter
  • July-August 2019, the Rain Garden was completed by Carmen Johnson and her helpers, with design advice and a grant from Washington Conservation District / Valley Branch Watershed District.
  • June 2019 Newsletter
  • June 1, 2019 Sunfish Lake Park Family Nature Day combined with first anniversary celebration of the Grand Opening of the nature center. A beautiful day, perhaps 200 visitors came to see over a dozen nature stations and other attractions.
  • May 21, 2019 “Spring for Nature” fundraising dinner at the Lake Elmo Inn event center, 140 attendees, very successful for first-year effort.
  • May 2019 Newsletter
  • April 13, 2019 Teen Service Volunteers make 100 Bunnies for Seniors, click on Volunteer or Intern tab for details and pictures
  • April 7, 2019 Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts install birdhouses for the birdhouse trail, click on Science Projects & Exhibits tab for details and pictures
  • Click here to read the April 2019 Newsletter April 2019 newsletter to print
  • March 20, 2019 Spring is officially here, the snow is disappearing rapidly
  • Click here to read the March 2019 Newsletter March 2019 Newsletter
  • Here is our newsletter file – Aug. 2018 – Feb. 2019: SMINC Newsletter Collection
  • February official snowfall 39 inches…  The birds are all visiting our feeders, because most of the natural seed sources are deeply covered
  • January 27-28 real snow and real winter return to Sunfish Lake Park
  • January 1- Happy New Year, we are beginning our eighth month of operations!
  • December 3rd – holiday decorating begins – happy holidays to all
  • November 10th  Buckthorn Festival – six teams competed to remove buckthorn!
  • October 18th Becky Tenpas joins SMINC as the Jon Chasman Memorial Executive Director
  • October 13th More buckthorn removed
  • October 9th Front-page article in St. Paul Pioneer Press about our upcoming November 10th Buckthorn Festival – Bob Shaw calls it “Quirky” – we like that!  Go to https://www.twincities.com/2018/10/09/buckthorn-croquet-new-lake-elmo-center-blends-nature-humor-community-service/
  • October 6th Jaime Cardinal arrives at birdhouse
  • September 10th Birdhouse Shed finished, watch for the arrival of the big birds!
  • September 8th Buckthorn Removal Saturday – two large piles were pulled out of the Park
  • August 29th was Connie’s Prairie Pioneer Tea Party – all teas and snacks were made from items the pioneers would have had in 1850 – home-grown plants, maple syrup, honey, milk, eggs
  • July 6 2018 a very nice article  by Jackie Bussjaeger about the nature center was published in the St. Croix Valley Area Lowdown  http://www.presspubs.com/st_croix/news/article_76ab9be0-8169-11e8-93e4-ab34bd0064be.html
  • July 6 2018 Sidewalk is completed allowing easy wheelchair access to the Nature Center from the parking lot
  • June 2 2018 An article about our Grand Opening appeared in the local paper:  http://bulletin-news.com/articles/2018/06/04/new-nature-center-opens-lake-elmo-june-2
  • Friends of Lake Elmo’s Sunfish Lake Park  adopted the park in the new Lake Elmo “Adopt-a-Park” program. Buckthorn removal started June 30 2018
  • June 2 2018 Grand Opening attended by at least 200 people – click on Media tab to see the videos of the dedication
  • June 1 2018 Clean up interior and exterior, hang available exhibit content, prepare for Grand Opening
  • May 30 2018 Electrical work complete, Air Conditioning operational, exterior doors in place.
  • May 29 2018 Plumbing completed
  • Working on Interior finishing and preliminary landscaping done
  • April 13 2018 siding completed, most of the electrical outlets are energized, interior finishing well underway
  • April 6 2018, drywall and interior painting done, siding installed on south and east sides
  • March 3 2018, metal roofing completed, interior inspections signed off, ready for drywall
  • February 15 2018, metal roofing nearly complete, interior work is progressing
  • December 15 2017, roof sheathing and felt installed, previous snowfall shoveled out
  • Thanksgiving 2017 – roof trusses installed and windows in place
  • The final concrete placement took place November 8th to complete the gable end walls
  • Concrete topping poured on mezzanine floor October 23rd
  • Mezzanine floor hollow core concrete planks installed October 16th
  • Water line brought to building, septic tanks and drain field installed
  • October 10th is the first anniversary of the founding of the Friends as a Minnesota Corporation.
  • The concrete slab for the main floor was poured Friday September 29th and Wednesday October 4th.
  • Construction began with excavation in early September, footings were poured on September 13th, foundation and first-floor walls were poured on September 20th.
  • September 10, 2017 – the Groundbreaking Celebration took place Sunday from 2-5 PM at the site, 10000 Stillwater Lane N, Lake Elmo MN 55042. After some short dedications, there was a Raptor Show with a hawk, an owl, a falcon and an eagle presented by Ian of The Raptor Center,  and a Blandings Turtle was shown by Jessie of the Carpenter Nature Center. Visitors could dig for dinosaurs, walk the nature trail, get nature information, get gifts for the kids, tour the nature-mobile, see the building plans, and get free snacks and beverages donated by Lake Elmo Inn Event Center, Hagberg’s Country Market, Gorman’s Family Restaurant, and Caribou Coffee at Oakdale Village. See the news article at http://www.lillienews.com/articles/2017/09/19/ground-broken-new-lake-elmo-nature-center and at http://lillienews.com/content/gallery-ground-broken-new-lake-elmo-nature-center
  • Building Permit issued September 1, 2017
  • August 15, 2017 The Lake Elmo City Council approves the building plans as submitted for the building permit. There are a few technical details to be handled before the building permit can be issued.
  • July 31, 2017 The Minnesota Land Trust gives written approval of the project, ruling that the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center is an acceptable use as envisioned by the 2009 Conservation Easement.
  • July 4, 2017 The Friends’ bus was parked on the sidelines at the Lake Elmo Kids Parade, and we handed out flyers for the Nature Center.
  • June 28, 2017 At the Lake Elmo Library Summer Reading Program, the attendees were asked their opinion of what an “Interpretive Nature Center” would be, and were given materials to build their own nature center exhibits.  Check out the picture under Week 3, June 28th at  http://www.lakeelmopubliclibrary.org/?page_id=823 .
  • June 1, 2017 The Friends’ Bluebird Bus was transformed to a billboard, and taken to our presentations for the Jaycees and the Rotary. It will be our construction field office, then converted to a Nature-mobile.
  • May 17, 2017 Feature article on front page of Oakdale – Lake Elmo Review gives details of Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center development, mentions the special mission. ( http://eastsidereviewnews.com/articles/2017/05/19/new-lake-elmo-nature-center-honor-resident%E2%80%99s-late-wife )
  • May 14, 2017 Article in St. Paul Pioneer Press Local Section describes the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center.  http://www.twincities.com/2017/05/12/lake-elmo-man-to-build-nature-center-as-memorial-to-late-wife/
  • April 28th, 2017 Front-page story in the Gazette (StillwaterGazette.com) describes the Council action and gives details of the Lease Agreement. http://stillwatergazette.com/2017/05/03/nature-center-planned-in-sunfish-lake-park/
  • April 18th, 2017 – The Lake Elmo City Council has voted 5-0 to approve a Lease Agreement with the Friends of Lake Elmo’s Sunfish Lake Park. The Friends is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of establishing a nature center, and will build the Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center on the leased acre of land just south of the parking lot in Sunfish Lake Park. The nature center will be contained in a building with a “footprint” of about 2000 square feet.  The main purpose of the nature center is to be alive with programs and exhibits for people of all ages. These features will concentrate on local wildlife and plants, the ecology of the park, and the agricultural heritage of the City. This nature center will not compete with established centers of learning such as the Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center operated by the Science Museum of Minnesota or the Belwin Nature Center operated by the Belwin Conservancy, both of which specialize in serving large groups of students. Its size, and the scope of its programs, will be more suited to smaller school groups, preschool classes, and people with special needs, and it will mentor Citizen Science by encouraging a sense of wonder, and questions, and observations.
  • February 23, 2017 – Friends of Lake Elmo’s Sunfish Lake Park approved by Internal Revenue Service as a 501c3 non-profit organization, may accept tax-advantage donations. Awaiting banking/accounting setup before fundraising starts.
  • February 22, 2017 – Lake Elmo Parks Commission unanimously votes to accept updated Lease Agreement and recommend City Council approval!
  • Spring/Summer 2016 – Negotiations with new City Attorney Sarah Sonsalla result in a balanced agreement of September 2016
  • June 8, 2015- Presented to Lake Elmo Planning Commission, voted 7-0 that the proposal is consistent with Lake Elmo’s official 2030 Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan.
  • May 18, 2015 – Presented idea to Lake Elmo Parks Commission, voted 7-0 to encourage us to keep working on the project.
  • April 28, 2015 – Tony Manzara met with City planner Alyssa MacLeod to present idea for Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center– she was encouraging and supportive; a nature center in Sunfish Lake Park is “something we want to do”.
  • June 30, 2009 – Lake Elmo concludes a Conservation Easement for Sunfish Lake Park with the Minnesota Land Trust, envisioning a nature interpretive center in “Area 2” south of the parking lot (refer to copy of Conservation Easement via link on bottom of home page).