Monroe County 4-H Youth Development has launched Follow the Winter Wizard, an outdoor interactive challenge that encourages families to experience winter via outdoor explorations and activities in Monroe County Parks.
Youth participants are the wizard’s apprentices, completing spells from the wizard’s spellbook, in hopes of finding the Winter Wizard before the Sorcerer of Spring arrives and melts the wizard’s winter charms away.
Geared for families or groups with children ages five to 19, Follow the Winter Wizard invites youth to complete at least six outdoor activities in Monroe County Parks by March 21, 2024. Registration is required for this seasonal event. Go to https://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/events/2024/01/27/winter-wizard-2024 for details.
Youth who complete the challenge can enter to win prizes, including gift cards to Wegmans, ice rink skate passes, board games or gift cards from Just Games, and gift boxes from Bristol Hills Lavender Farm. To be entered in the prize drawing, youth can submit their spell book sheet with photo evidence of completed spells to monroe4h@cornell.edu, or parents can share photos of each completed spell on social media, tagging @monroe4H on Instagram, or Monroe County 4-H Youth Development on Facebook, using the hashtag #followthewinterwizard.
Monroe County 4-H will host two free guided winter walks that offer participants opportunities to complete two of the activities, or spells, in the spellbook.
•Thursday, February 22: Be a Birdwatcher at Mendon Ponds Park. Meet at 11 a.m. at the entrance
of Wild Wings, 27 Pond Road, Honeoye Falls. Register at http://tinyurl.com/2duan6cx to participate.
•Friday, February 23: Shelter Building Workshop at Mendon Ponds Park. Meet at 10 a.m. at 95
Douglas Road, Honeoye Falls. Register at http://tinyurl.com/mwfknkuc to participate.
“Time spent playing outdoors is just about the best classroom a child can ask for!” said 4-H educator Rachel DeVona. “Our county parks offer not only a beautiful year round landscape to appreciate, but also lifelong lessons that one can carry with them as they engage with nature throughout the years.”
For full information, including the Follow the Winter Wizard registration link, contact info, and helpful resources, visit https://monroe.cce.cornell.edu/events/2024/01/27/winter-wizard-2024. Hard copies of the Spell Book can be found at the CCE-Monroe Office, 2449 St. Paul Boulevard. The office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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