This year, between Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 28) we’re calling on the community to help us fund repairs for the Hoop House.
A few months ago, a winter storm damaged the fabric overlaying the Hoop House. The unexpected costs of replacing this fabric, plus labor costs of installation and planned improvements for the garden inside will cost roughly $3,000.
Before the damage the Hoop House was a home for a variety of native pollinators, including monarch butterflies, who thrive in the environment inside the Hoop House. The Hoop House was also a great tool for educating the public about the importance of pollinators and allowing curious minds of all ages to see pollinators up close.
You can help restore the Hoop House and improve it with a gift to our Earth Day to Arbor Day Fundraiser. Indian Creek Nature Center knows our community loves our pollinator friends, and we hope to raise the $3,000 needed for repairs during this 7-day fundraising drive.
If you’re able, please consider a gift of any amount. Donations of all sizes can add up to creating a restored Hoop House that is both more durable, accessible and fruitful.
With the support of our generous community we can replace the damaged fabric with a higher quality fabric that better protects the plants and pollinators inside, while also better withstanding the harsh weather that comes with life in Iowa. Along with the work being done over the top of the Hoop House the entrance has been leveled to become more accessible. This will allow more people than ever to experience the joys found inside the Hoop House.
Also, a group of six volunteers is working diligently to replant the Hoop House. The Butterfly Hoop House Committee is giving special care to improving the soil, selecting the best plant species in the right balance and placing new plant markers to help visitors identify the plants our pollinator friends love.
This future vision of a Hoop House that provides a nurturing home for pollinators and a place of learning and inspiration for humans is not far away. With the collective support of our community between Earth Day and Arbor Day, Indian Creek Nature Center will have the resources to complete all these improvements before this year’s Monarch Fest.
UPDATE:
61 Champions of Nature came together during our 7-day Earth Day to Arbor Day Fundraiser to donate $4,666 to help repair and improve the butterfly Hoop House. After this outpouring of support ICNC staff and volunteers have been able to install new and better fabric over the Hoop House. Thank you to every donor, volunteer and staff who contributed to restoring this home for our pollinator friends.
