Matagorda County Birding Nature Center board members Becca Sitz (left) and Stephen Logan (far right) present Robert Nelson with a certificate of appreciation for his donation and support of the Birding Nature Center’s recent fundraising event held during the Dec. 20 Audubon Christmas Bird Count volunteer birder dinner hosted by the Nature Center.
Bay City resident Robert Nelson was the winner of the recent Matagorda County Birding Nature Center’s Save The Slithering Slough fundraiser raffle. Nelson’s winning ticket was drawn during the Dec. 20 Audubon Christmas Bird Count volunteer birders dinner at the Wadsworth Community Center, which is hosted by the Birding Nature Center each year.
Matagorda County Birding Nature Center board members Stephen Logan and Becca Sitz presented Nelson earlier this week with a certificate of appreciation for his support of the Nature Center.
“I wholeheartedly support the Birding Nature Center,” Nelson said. “I love to come here and see the wildlife and birds. It is a beautiful and special place.
Nelson said that he was surprised to learn his name was drawn as the winner of the raffle.
“I never expected to win the raffle, I just wanted to show my support for the Nature Center by donating. What the volunteers are accomplishing out here is remarkable. It is important to Bay City and to the county to have such a wonderful place for people to visit and enjoy nature and the outdoors,” Nelson said.
The Birding Nature Center features diverse ecosystems that closely resemble the county’s ecosystems, Logan said.
“It reflects the county’s diversity. We have forests, prairies, wetlands and the river -- just about every habitat you find in the county is represented at the Nature Center except for the beach,” Logan said.
Sitz said that the Nature Center also offers nature trails, gardens, boardwalks and bridges, and indoor and outdoor activity centers.
“The Birding Nature Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and is run entirely by volunteers,” Sitz said. “We rely on memberships and donations to maintain and make improvements to the grounds, including removing and replacing many of the plants that did not survive the hard freeze in 2021.”
If you are interested in becoming a member, email mcbncinfo@gmail.com for a membership application. Members get free admission to the Nature Center throughout the year. The Nature Center is located at 1025 Tx-Hwy 35 in Bay City.