Swan Lake Nature House will host Swan Lake Christmas Hill’s quadrennial anniversary party with face-painting, bubble blowing and giving live animal presentations, with plenty of special guests.
It all starts at noon Saturday (May 23) and is geared towards kids and families.
Penny the Owl (Island Savings Mascot) and Ace K9 (Saanich Police Mascot) will be on hand for some mascot mayhem with the kids. A naturalist guided nature walk around the lake starts at 11 a.m. There are a limited number of spaces available so please call 250-479-0211 to RSVP.
The event has been built for community members to share not only in the celebration of the history of Swan Lake but to inform and positively impact the way our community partners work together to raise the community’s children.
Saanich Fire Department will provide exciting information on fire safety and the Saanich Police Department will be here promoting their Child Find program and offering tips to parents while at the same time teaching children that the police are their friends and that they are not going to put little Jimmy in jail when he gets a time out.
“You would be surprised at how many parents off handedly joke when they see a police officer and warn their kids to behave as the police might take them away”, says Kathleen Burton, executive director at Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary. "Having Saanich Fire and Police at the event will help to educate children and their care givers that children should run to and not from emergency first responders. They are there to help and comfort children not scare them."
This event will help communicate the message that by working together we can better educate our kids not just about the amazing programs offered here at Swan Lake but about so many wonderful family programs that happen here in Saanich.
History of Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary
Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is a non-profit organization that offers the community a place to enjoy the natural habitat that surrounds the Nature House in which programs and interactive displays educate both children and adults. A registered charitable organization, it is run by the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary Society. The lands and facilities are owned by the Corporation of the District of Saanich, and the Nature Sanctuary Society operates through a land management agreement with Saanich since June, 1975.
CHILD FIND Saanich Police work with Child Find Canada to reduce child victimization through education and programs. The Crime Prevention office, with the help of Reserve Constables and youth volunteers, will hold a Child Find campaign at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature where children can be photographed and fingerprinted, creating a record of vital statistics for their parents, should the worst occur and their child go missing.