Natural Connections: An immersion experience for youth

Natural Connections: An immersion experience for youth

• Aug. 4, Wednesday, 6-8:30 p.m.
• Middle school and older
• In-person, outdoors

Ever been inspired by an awesome sunset or a crystal-clear blue sky?

Ever studied the delicate beauty of a wildflower or marveled at the rugged tenacity of an ancient tree?

We’ll use the trails, trees, lake and the natural beauty of our campus to explore how nature can inspire us and what it can teach us. We’ll reconnect our ties to nature that modern living tends to cut.

After immersing ourselves in nature, a professional artist will guide us through a creative exercise, putting paint onto canvas to express what we just experienced. Paintings can be taken home at the end of the evening.

All supplies will be provided. There is no charge, but for those who can make an offering, we suggest $10 per youth.

Each participant will also take home a packet of Prairie Seed Mix, a blend of wildflower seeds from the Missouri Nature Conservancy and Dunn Ranch Prairie, a 2,200-acre tallgrass prairie preserve in north-central Missouri.

Outline of the evening:

• 6-6:30 p.m. — Meet & Greet. Snacks & Games.
• 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. — Explore the trails that wind through our 30-acre campus. A guided walking mediation.
• 7:30-8:30 p.m.— Art in Nature, painting on canvas

Facilitators for the evening will be Renewal Center staff member Lucia Ferrara and the local artist and teacher Elmari Van Der Westhuizen

This is an outdoor experience, so masks are not required, but we will be social distancing. Masks must be worn if one goes inside the facility.