This year, we're thankful for... YOU!

It's easy to become contemplative around this time of year, and at the Ned Smith Center, we're focused on all that we're thankful for. And YOU, faithful friends of the Center, are at the top of our list.

With your help, 2010 was a tremendous year of growth for the Center. Our Saw-Whet Owl Research program is among the leaders in the nation; our Arts and Entertainment programming continues to grow in quality and popularity.

We’ve made major improvements to our facilities by enhancing the safety of our entrance; created a beautiful rain garden and ADA walkway, ensuring that all of our patrons will have convenient access to the Center. We have begun construction on the Bradenbaugh-Hottenstein Arts and Education Collections Wing, which will safely house our art collections, increase educational space, and permanently exhibit the work of our namesake, Ned Smith. These are all phases of a project that will ultimately culminate in the building of a state-of-the-art amphitheater, which we hope to begin constructing next year.

2010 has also seen tremendous growth in our Olewine Gallery exhibitions: we’ve hosted National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, and land artist Andy Goldsworthy in 2010, and we’re excited to bring Ned Smith back to the gallery for Gone for the Day: Ned Smith and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, which will open on January 16 and run until August 2011. Plus, our unique and dynamic education programming reached close to 4,000 students in 2010.

We thank you wholeheartedly for your support of the Center. We know 2011 will be a fantastic year, with tremendous growth and progress toward our mission of connecting people with nature and the arts.

If you want to play an integral part in our growth, become a member of the Center! Memberships start at just $25 per year and every single membership level recieves the following benefits:

• Special members-only sneak previews of new Olewine Gallery exhibits
• Generous discounts on NSCNA merchandise, including brand new glassware featuring the art of Ned Smith
• $30 savings on annual print - next year's print, Flushing Pheasant, is from a newly-discovered Ned Smith watercolor that has never been reproduced!
• Free admission to the Olewine Gallery and monthly speaker series

Call the Center at 717-692-3699, or join online using our secure online store!

Whooooooo's Coming to Halloween Owls?

Celebrate Halloween with the Center at its annual Halloween Owls program, which features live owls from Penn State University's Shaver's Creek Environmental Learning Center. Experts on night-time raptors will explore the facts and shatter the myths about these beautiful creatures. Certified bird banders from the Center's Northern Saw-Whet Owl Banding Project will provide owl banding demonstrations and discuss the Center's effort to gather more information on the tiny birds that migrate through Penn's Woods on cold fall nights.

And costumes are encouraged! It IS Halloween, after all!

Admission to Halloween Owls is FREE to members and children, $3 otherwise.

Annual Wildlife Art Auction

Happy Autumn, Friends of the Ned Smith Center!

We're busy with preparations for our 17th Annual Wildlife Art Auction, which is happening this Saturday, October 2 at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Kleinfeltersville. Our auction features works by the most celebrated names in wildlife art, including Gerald Putt, Dan Christ, Sheree Dougherty and of course, Ned Smith.

Our auction features more Ned Smith prints and originals than any other auction in the country, and we've really got some special pieces this year. In addition to the sixteen pen-and-ink originals, we have a special mixed media original and the #1/600 print of River Otters, complete with a pencil remarque by Ned Smith! A complete list of auction items is available on our website, as well as a link to a printable version. Click here to see the complete list!

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and the live auction will start at 12 p.m. We will have a silent auction from 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., which will feature artwork, books and other Ned Smith memorabilia. Food and beverages will also be available for purchase, so feel free to spend the day with us! For directions to Middle Creek, click this link and enter your starting address.

We hope to see you this weekend!

Announcing... the 2010-2011 Arts and Entertainment Series!

We're thrilled to announce our 2010-2011 Arts and Entertainment Series. Additional info and online ticket sales is available from the Center's website, http://www.nedsmithcenter.org/.

Fall Family Fun Day
Saturday, October 9, 2010; 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
This annual event is designed to increase an awareness of the natural world with many
activities for children and their families. See live animal presentations, get your face
painted, visit the pumpkin patch, or create a fall decoration at the “Art Creation Station.”
And don’t forget to try your skills with a fun round of pumpkin bowling, or a walk across
the Wiconisco Creek on our beautiful bridge.
ADMISSION INFO: $5 for ages 2 and older.
LOCATION: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Road,
Millersburg.
Sponsored by M&T Bank

Popcorn Hat Players presents Aladdin!
Saturday, November 13, 2010; 11 a.m.
Join Aladdin and his super-powered Genie as he learns an important lesson in
responsibility. Can Aladdin outwit the evil Fazeem and win the heart of the beautiful
princess? Remember, be careful what you wish for!
ADMISSION INFO: $5 for ages 2 and older
LOCATION: Millersburg Senior Center, 109 Edward Road, Millersburg
Sponsored by M&T Bank

Ned Smith Night at Pennsylvania Regional Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Saturday, December 4, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy this holiday classic, presented by the Ned Smith Center’s Resident Ballet
Company, Pennsylvania Regional Ballet.
ADMISSION INFO: TBA
LOCATION: Scottish Rite Cathedral, 2701 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg

Chili & Blues with the Ann Kerstetter Band
Friday, January 28, 2011, 7 p.m.
Ann Kerstetter, a.k.a. “The Duchess of Duke Street,” will bring her sassy sounds to
Millersburg for a night of chili, cornbread and the blues!
ADMISSION INFO: TBA
LOCATION: Wooden Nickel Annex, 210 S. Market St., Millersburg
Sponsors: David & Dorene Hawley, Fred & Anne Meckley, Kyle Kauffman

Ned Smith Center and Moviate present the Cinatura Film Festival
Friday, March 25 – Sunday, March 27, 2011
Enjoy three days of tributes to nature and conservation through film. Festival highlights
will include Godrey Reggio’s classic “Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance,” featuring a
score by Philip Glass, and original films by area filmmakers.
ADMISSION INFO: TBA
LOCATION: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Road,
Millersburg
Sponsor: Pete & Carole DeSoto

“You Could Drive a Person Crazy: Celebrating Stephen Sondheim”
Friday, April 8 – Saturday, April 9, 2011
Experience an evening of Sondheim hits, as well as lesser-known masterpieces, from
shows like Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, Company, A Little Night Music, A Funny
Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Merrily We Roll Along, and Assassins. “You
Could Drive a Person Crazy” is a testament to the craft and passion of Stephen
Sondheim, and features an entertaining, and unexpectedly emotional story.
ADMISSION INFO: $25 general admission, $22 NSCNA Members, $17 students and
seniors
LOCATION: Gamut Classic Theatre, 3rd Floor, Strawberry Square, Harrisburg.
Sponsors: Dan & Pat Hottenstein, Robert & Mimi Goodling, Jim & Becky Ulsh

Ned Smith Night at Free Shakespeare in the Park: All’s Well That Ends Well
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Shakespeare weaves elements of fairy and folk tales into a lively comedy about the
painful nature of love, the folly of youth and the road to self-awareness. Rest assured, all
will end well. Join Ned Smith Center’s Resident Shakespeare Company, Harrisburg
Shakespeare Festival, for a free night of Shakespeare under the stars.
ADMISSION INFO: FREE!
LOCATION: Reservoir Park, Harrisburg.

6th Annual Music on the Riegle Deck
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Presented in cooperation with Susquehanna Folk Music Society
Enjoy this annual tradition of live music on the Center’s beautiful Riegle Deck! Bring a
chair or blanket and a picnic with your favorite beverage.
LOCATION: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, 176 Water Company Road,
Millersburg
Sponsor: The Williams Family in Memory of Ken

Ned Smith Night at Twin Valley Players
Thursday, July 29, 2011
Join Ned Smith Center’s Resident Community Theatre for their 41st annual summer
musical!
ADMISSION INFO: TBA
LOCATION: Halifax High School, 3940 Peters Mountain Road, Halifax.

An Evening of Poetry and Music at the Center!

The Ned Smith Center is proud to team up with Perry County Council on the Arts for an evening of poetry and music on the Riegle Deck on Thursday, August 5 at 7 p.m.

Performers will include a variety of poets and musicians from Perry County Council on the Arts’ wide network of artists and performers. Musicians include Tim McLain, Paul Hendrickson, Fritz Williams, Kathy Donkus, and Dave Snyder. Poets include Patti McCarty, Ken Little, Kate Dunkelberger, Eydie Wight, Jonas Stoltzfus, Tony Oliveri, Cynthia Iberg and Siggy David.

There is no cost to attend the event, but donations will be accepted and will benefit the Ned Smith Center and Perry County Council on the Arts. For more info, visit perrycountyarts.org or nedsmithcenter.org.

Hope to see you there!

It's time for the Ned Smith Center Festival!!

We have been neck-deep in Festival planning and we're so excited that it's finally here! Join us at beautiful MYO Park in Millersburg AND the Ned Smith Center for a fun-filled celebration of nature and the arts!

On Friday night, the Center's Olewine Gallery and gift shop will be open until 7 p.m.; and down at MYO Park, all KINDS of fun will be happening at our Twilight Tribute.

Enjoy live music from Down to Earth Band (an annual tradition) and exciting programs from John D. Laskowski (a.k.a. MOTHMAN) and Cal Butchkoski, one of Pennsylvania's preeminent bat experts. The Mid-Atlantic Disc Dogs are back this year as well, so don't miss your chance to see some talented pups in action!

Saturday will bring even more excitement, with over 50 educational and fun programs at MYO Park, at the Millersburg Gun and Conservation Club and even on the historic Millersburg Ferry! At the Center, you can check out our Olewine Gallery and gift shop, Malcolm MacPherson's Heritage Miniatures, the winners of the Center's 2010 Youth Art Contest, and our first ever Ned and Marie Smith Memorabilia Sale on the Riegle Deck! The sale will feature items from Ned and Marie's personal collection - own your own piece of Ned Smith history!

For a complete schedule of events, directions, and more, visit our website!

Office Coordinator position available!

The Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art is seeking a full-time Office Coordinator. The ideal candidate will enjoy working with the public, be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access. 2-3 years supervisory experience is required. This position offers excellent pay, benefits and a beautiful working environment.

Email a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to:
Jane Lahr, Director of Finance and Administration at jlahr@nedsmithcenter.org