Come see our new exhibits!

Don't forget that you can visit Briar Bush even on rainy days! Our museum contains over 30 animals and several exhibits and hands-on displays. This month the museum has welcomed two new exhibits:

Find out more about our reptilian friends with our all-new REPTILES exhibit. The exhibit describes what exactly a "reptile" is and some of the unique characteristics of these amazing animals. Visuals include a full shed from ne of Briar Bush's snakes, along with some eggs laid just this year by Ms. Tortellini (Leopard Tortoise) and Colonel Corn (Corn Snake).

Think twice about what you put in your garbage can with the help of our "WHAT'S IN OUR TRASH?" exhibit. The hands-on display breaks down the make-up of what Americans throw away each year, while allowing visitors to practice the art of recycling. Children can also compare their daily lunch to that of the average consumer, and find out about techniques to improve their every day trash output.

Calling all juice drinkers and cookie eaters!

Terracycle, a NJ-based company that makes usable products from items that would otherwise be trash, is teaming up with Nabisco, Kool-Aid, Capri Sun and Honest Kids to offer a recycling fundraiser to non-profit organizations.

Briar Bush has joined the Cookie Wrapper Brigade and the Drink Pouch Brigade to collect and recycle these items. For each drink pouch and cookie wrapper collected, Briar Bush will receive $.02. While it is a small amount alone, it is amazing how many of these items end up in trash cans! Rather than throw them away (especially after lunch or snacks), save them for Briar Bush!

We will have collection bags in the center for cookie wrappers (Oreo, Chips Ahoy, 100 Calorie Packs, etc.) and juice drink pouches (Kool-Aid, Capri Sun, etc.) This does not include candy bar wrappers or juice boxes.

In order to send our collection bags in for a donation, we must collect a minimum of 200 cookie wrappers and 100 drink pouches, so start saving!! This is an easy way to help Briar Bush earn extra funds to support our great community programs.

Please empty any crumbs from cookie wrappers, as well as remove the straw from drink pouches. Terracycle is asking that drink pouches be cut across the bottom (not bottom of front or back panel, but the section between them) and rinsed.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Join us for RaptorFest!

October is Raptor Month! Join in the fun and sign up for a great FREE adventure!

Saturday, October 4 ~ 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

9 a.m.-9:45 a.m. "Backyard Birding" Bring your binoculars and take a birding walk through BBNC trails with Wild Bird Center's Marsha Pearson. Light morning refreshments available. Please register in advance.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. "All About Raptors" Enjoy crafts, exhibits and other activities, all reptor-related. Some of the fun will include dissecting owl pellets, making puppets, measuring wingspans and much more!

11 a.m.-12 p.m. "Live Animal Presentation" The highlight of the day will be a live bird presentation by the Academy of Natural Sciences. See raptors up close and get answers to all your raptor questions!

12:15-12:45 p.m. "The Lorax" Participate in a living version of "The Lorax," the famous Dr. Seuss tale about the importance of protecting habitats.

***Registration is required for "Backyard Birding" and recommended for the other activities. Call BBNC at 215.887.6603.***

BBNC in the community

It's the season for festivals and Briar Bush will have PR tables at many of them! Our PR tables are always a hit with all the need-to-know information for parents and activities for the kids - sometimes one of the famous Briar Bush critters even makes an appearance. Knowledgable volunteers and staff are available to answer and programming or general information questions you might have.

This fall, look for us at the following events:
*Saturday, September 20 @ Macy's
*Friday, September 26 @ Upper Moreland Primary School
*Saturday, September 27 @ Glenside Street Fair (11-3)
*Saturday, September 27 @ Sisters of Holy Redeemer Children's Fair (12-5)
*Saturday, September 27 @ Roslyn Car Show (3:30-8)
*Sunday, September 28 @ Sisters of Holy Redeemer Children's Fair (12-5)

Help make our wishes come true!

As a non-profit organization, "luxury items" often fall to the bottom of our purchasing list, and it is through the help of our Friends and other supporters that we are able to get some of the items we want or need. Here is the most recent "wish list" of items that could help our programs and daily operations at Briar Bush:

• 75 lbs of potting soil without fertilizer
• Habba Mist reptile cage misting system
  
• Umbrella stand
• Baby changing table for the restroom
• Most recent version of Quickbooks software
• Large plastic exercise wheel for the chinchilla
• Butterfly/insect nets
• Toddler-sized tables with chairs (2-3 sets)
• Toddler-sized step stool
• Collapsible stool with railing (for getting into BBNC van)
• Camera tripod
• A level for building exhibits

Looking Back: 100 Years Potluck and Annual Meeting

Tuesday, September 9 was the annual meeting of the Friends of Briar Bush. Prior to the business meeting portion of the evening, friends old and new shared a potluck dinner together at Briar Bush. To help celebrate our one hundred years of history, David Rowland of the Old York Road Historical Society presented a brief history of the Abington Township area back to when it was mostly farmland, and brought photos. Dr. Leigh Altadonna, Assistant Superintendant of Abington Schools and FOBB Board Member, grew up visiting Florence Griscom with his sister and recounted the days spent learning about birds, nature and life from Mrs. Griscom. He gave the audience insight of what was happening from the 1950s through 1975. Dede Long, Executive Director of BBNC, picked up from there and carried us into today and even a peek at the future. Next year, Briar Bush will be creating another 5-year strategic plan, which will be an important guiding tool in our future, as Long is retiring in 2010 after 30+ years with the Center. The evening ended with the business meeting of the Friends of Briar Bush. This year, four members will be leaving the Board of Directors after fulfilling their terms, and a fifth has resigned after being called into active duty in the United States Army. Members who have completed six years of Board service must remain off the Board for one year before returning. All staff members gave a brief summary of the activities that have been filling their days since last year's meeting.

Great Escape - Buildings of Fairmount Park

It is amazing how a person can live his or her entire life in the same area and not discover all the wonderful places hidden just off the beaten path or, in the case of the buildings of Fairmount Park, and Fairmount Park Water Works Interpretive Center, standing in plain sight! A small but interested group of our members toured Strawberry Mansion and Woodford, two of the seven historic homes in Fairmount Park that are now maintained by different public and private groups. Extremely knowledgeable docents led us through the very different homes, detailing the history of the structures, their builders and various owners, current furnishings and so much more. We enjoyed lunch at Rembrandt's Restuarant near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, then dropped by the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center. Beneath the beautiful building that houses the historic water works is an informative and interactive museum suitable for kids and adults. Truly, all Philadelphians should spend an hour visiting this fascinating (and free!) museum.

Summer camp already seems like a distant memory at Briar Bush and the focus has moved to our school-year programs. Our Children's Series programs and Home School have already started and ACORN is soon to follow, with BBNC educators visiting Abington schools to teach nature-based lessons. This year's programs have been restructured around various nature themes to give kids an excellent on-going experience for this year and beyond. New to our Children's Series is an infant sign language class for 0-2 year olds with an adult. Infants will learn signs for words and concepts in nature from guest educator Katy Abbott as they explore the museum and trails. "No School? Cool!" has also made a return this year, with exciting field trips during days when school is closed but work is not. Please be sure to check the program schedules on our website at www.briarbush.org or in your newsletter.

Tonight is the annual meeting of the Friends of Briar Bush (7:15 p.m.) following a potluck dinner (5:30 p.m.) and a historical presentation (6:30 p.m.).