Johnson County Park & Recreation District: Calendar of Events

Dec. 26 - Jan. 20	Christmas Tree Recycling at Shawnee Mission, Heritage and Kill Creek Parks Recycling natural Christmas trees helps the environment and Johnson County Park and Recreation District will help you do your part - for FREE! Each year JCPRD collects natural Christmas trees from late December through mid-January from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. The drop-off sites are the parking lots of the Shawnee Mission Park Marina, Heritage Park Marina and Kill Creek Marina. Only natural Christmas trees, please. No yard waste. There is no charge for the recycling. Address: Shawnee Mission Park Marina - 7900 Renner Road Heritage Park Marina - 16050 Pflumm Road Kill Creek - 11670 South Homestead Lane, , Phone Number: (913) 888-4713

January 11	Dinomite Dinosaurs - Sunday Family Series at Ernie Miller Nature Center Dinomite Dinosaurs, the second of eight JCPRD’s fun & educational Sunday Family Series offered at Ernie Miller Nature Center. It is sure to be a hit with kids and adults of all ages. What’s in store? Learning about dinosaurs! Which dinosaur was the largest? Smallest? Fastest? Most terrifying? So come and join the knowledgeable and quirky "Professor Dina Sawyer" as she shares fun facts about these magnificent beautifully scary creatures who once ruled the earth. So, bring the family to the Ernie Miller Nature Center on this Sunday for a cool, entertaining and educational experience. Presentations begin at 2 pm and are approximately 45 minutes in length. This 45 minute event is a reasonably priced program at $2.50 per person including adults with ages 2 & under free and you can pay at the site. Questions or comments, please contact us. Time: 02:00 PM Address: Ernie Miller Nature Center 909 N. Highway 7, Olathe, Kansas Phone Number: (913) 764-7759

January 18	The Good, the Bad, and the Smelly - Sunday Family Series at Ernie Miller Nature Center The Good, the Bad, and the Smelly, the third of eight JCPRD’s fun & educational Sunday Family Series offered at Ernie Miller Nature Center. It is sure to be a hit with kids and adults of all ages. Everyone will take a different look at some of the not-so-glamorous animals around us, such as spiders, snakes, and, skunks. Yes, skunks! These critters may not be loveable to all, but learn why they are important to our lifestyles and environment. Live snakes and spiders will be displayed. So, bring the family to Ernie Miller Nature Center on Sunday for this cool, entertaining and educational experience. Presentations begin at 2 pm and are approximately 45 minutes in length. This 45 minute event is a reasonably priced program at $2.50 per person including adults with ages 2 & under free and you can pay at the site. Questions or comments, please contact us. Time: 02:00 PM Address: Ernie Miller Nature Center 909 N. Highway 7, Olathe, Kansas Phone Number: (913) 764-7759

January 22	Winter Walkabout at Antioch Park Parents and children (ages 3 & up) bundle up and join us for a winter walk on the trails through JCPRD's scenically beautiful Antioch Park. Along the way we will come upon a number of clues to help us guess the name of a book we will read when our walk takes us to the park fire ring. During storytelling time, all will enjoy warm and toasty marshmallows and sip some hot chocalatie cocoa and enjoy the outdoors on a beautiful winter day. Registration is required for this event. Register by phone or via our on-line Activities web catalog. Time: 01:00 PM Address: Antioch Park 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, Kansas Phone Number: (913) 831-3355

January 25	Kansas Symbols - Sunday Family Series at Ernie Miller Nature Center Kansas Symbols, the fourth of eight JCPRD’s fun & educational Sunday Family Series offered at Ernie Miller Nature Center. Come and celebrate our great state of Kansas's statehood (Jan. 29)! What do the American bison, tiger salamander, and sunflower have in common? They are just a few of the natural symbols of our State of Kansas. Learn about these and others with hands-on items and live animals! Join in with the presenter as we end the program with a rousing chorus of “Home on the Range.” So, bring the family to Ernie Miller Nature Center on Sunday for this cool, entertaining and educational experience. Presentations begin at 2 pm and are approximately 45 minutes in length. This 45 minute event is a reasonably priced program at $2.50 per person including adults with ages 2 & under free and you can pay at the site. Questions or comments, please contact us. Time: 02:00 PM Address: Ernie Miller Nature Center 909 N. Highway 7, Olathe, Phone Number: (913) 764-7759

January 26	*JCPRD 2009 Spring Activities* Catalog Public Release Date** The week of January 26th, the JCPRD 2009 Spring Activities catalog will be released on-line and in print form. The Activities catalog, in print form, will be available at all Johnson County libraries and at all JCPRD facilities. It covers programs from March 2009 to May 2009. The catalog will provide over 400 programs and classes for kids, teens and adults alike. To view our catalog on-line visit our JCPRD Activities page. To receive a catalog by mail, sign up on-line or call any of our JCPRD offices or facilities. Address: All JCPRD offices and facilities and all Johnson County libraries , , Phone Number: (913) 438-2775

February 7	Laura’s Legacy at Ernie Miller Nature Center Come and celebrate the birthday of Laura Ingalls Wilder one of Kansas's earliest pioneers. You will be able to make a rag doll, experience lessons from 1800’s school and hear music from that time period. You'll also enjoy refreshments as Laura shares her favorite childhood stories from long ago. Participants are encouraged to wear pioneer clothing. This is a 2 hour - Pay at the Site event for only $7 ($8 nonresidents) per person including adults. Reservations are required for all who plan to attend. For reservations and more event information please call the Ernie Miller Nature Center. Time: 10:00 AM Address: Ernie Miller Nature Center 909 N. Highway 7, Olathe, Kansas Phone Number: (913) 764-7759