The Pajarito Environmental Education Center, Los Alamos Cooperative Market and Fuller Lodge Art Center are partnering to offer a community welcome event for Los Alamos National Laboratory summer students. Courtesy photo
PEEC NEWS
The majority of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s summer students will be arriving to town the first week of June and this year the community has a chance to welcome students right as they arrive. The Pajarito Environmental Education Center is working with the Los Alamos Cooperative Market and Fuller Lodge Art Center to host a welcome social at the Los Alamos Nature Center on Friday, June 7 from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
At the event, students will be able to visit various stations to learn about art, music, nature, religion, culture, business, sports and more in Los Alamos and chat with representatives from local organizations. There will be ice cream and frozen treats sponsored by the Los Alamos Cooperative Market and games and activities for students to enjoy throughout the evening.
“We’re always happy to welcome newcomers to town. We’re grateful that PEEC included us in this fun event,” Kate Gallaugher, the Los Alamos Cooperative Market’s Outreach Coordinator, said.
Summer students will be able to meet one another and get to know community members at this social. The nature center is hosting a free planetarium talk at 6 p.m. and students will be encouraged to head up to Ashley Pond for the Secret City Summer Concert after leaving the nature center.
The idea for this event developed through Los Alamos County’s Discoveries Action Team (DAT). The team identified a need to better connect summer students with the community and Los Alamos MainStreet Director Lauren McDaniel, PEEC’s Marketing Manager Rachel Landman and Fuller Lodge Art Center’s Executive Director Ken Nebel signed on to help with this.
“We first worked with Vint Miller at Los Alamos County on creating content for a website for students to learn more about various activities and offerings in the community before they arrive in town,” Landman said. “Then we thought that having an in-person welcome event would be a great way for both students and local organizations to connect. We want students to have the best experience they can while living here and take advantage of the many things going on in the community.”
If organizations or businesses are interested in having representatives at this event, offering a discount or raffle to students or sponsoring the event, they can contact Rachel Landman atpublicity@peecnature.org.
“We think this event will be a lot of fun and we’re excited to provide this opportunity for students and the community to connect,” Landman said.
For more information about this and other PEEC programs, visit www.peecnature.org, email programs@peecnature.org or call (505) 662-0460.
PEEC was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC operates the Los Alamos Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road, holds regular programs and events, and hosts a number of interest groups from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and merchandise. Annual memberships start at $35. To learn more, visitwww.peecnature.org.