With the reopening of the Blacksburg Nature Center today, June 16, the Town of Blacksburg’s SEEDS summer program begins its 26th year.
SEEDS is located at Blacksburg’s historic Price House, 107 Wharton Street SE. Parking is available in the driveway, on Wharton Street, and within two short blocks on Clay Street, at the Spout Spring parking strip.
Admission is free with a $1 donation per guest suggested. Guests may visit at any point during the summer hours, which are Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., Thursdays from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., Fridays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. It is suggested that groups with more than five people planning visits should email in advance for a reservation.
The summer program schedule includes SEEDS Field Camps for ages 7-10, from June 28 through July 2 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and a second field camp for ages 10-13 from July 5 through July 9 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuition for each camp is $260 with teachers Mike and Jolie.
Field Camp registration forms for both camps are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 18. Registration forms are available now online to fill out, print/sign and drop off at SEEDS. The process for registration is as follows:
Participants should fill in a form on their computers, then print it, sign it, and return the form with a check for half of the tuition in person to SEEDS or mail the form and the check to SEEDS, P.O. Box 824, Blacksburg VA 24063.
The in-person drop-off point for the forms is the Blacksburg Nature Center in the small mailbox next to the entry box. Participants are asked not to mail the forms to the Price House as SEEDS does not get mail delivered there.
SEEDS programs fill fast. For the best chance at a spot in a camp, participants should return the registration form and tuition by the deadline. Registrations will be selected from all those received by the deadline. Any remaining spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will be notified of the lottery results by email within four days.
For participants who don’t land a spot in a SEEDS program, other summer programs are offered, among others, by the Mayapple School, the Town of Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department and the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department.
2021 marks the 26th year SEEDS has offered sustaining nature education and studying and teaching about Blacksburg’s freshwater heritage. At the camps, children can engage in such activities as finding Blacksburg’s 16 Frogs, exploring local streams, including one at the nature center, exploring the Augmented Reality Sandbox and the 3D topographic model of surrounding watersheds.
