Commissioner Jim Cawley Thrives as Churchville Nature Center Guest Naturalist
Touring the 50-acre grounds of Churchville Nature Center. Taking refuge in a bird observation blind. Ducking into a replica Lenape Indian birthing hut. Handling a skink (lizard) that likes to eat bananas. Sharing turtles and snakes with a group of elementary school-age campers. It was all in a morning’s work for Bucks County Commissioner Jim Cawley.
Continuing his effort to view county government from an insider’s perspective, Cawley visited Churchville Nature Center today, spending time with Director Christopher G. Stieber and Naturalist Peg Mongillo, fellow staffers and visitors to the verdant Northampton Twp. complex.
Stieber conducted a thorough tour of the facility, offering Commissioner Cawley a glimpse of the octagonal butterfly building that will be completed next spring. The 45-minute walk also included a look at several Eagle Scout projects, a discussion of the “green” building demonstration that will be part of the upcoming expansion, a picturesque view of Churchville Lake, and a look at blueberries growing in the wild.
“It was very enlightening to see all of the great work that is being done at the Churchville Nature Center,” said Commissioner Cawley, who has served on the Silver Lake Nature Center Board of Friends. “This facility is one of Bucks County’s true gems.”
The highlight of the morning occurred when Commissioner Cawley joined Mongillo to teach a program about reptiles to 11 youngsters from Langhorne’s Kindercare Camp Adventure. Deftly cradling a box turtle, a bearded dragon lizard, a skink and an eastern milk snake, among others, he shared the animals with the wide-eyed campers.
This weekend, the Bucks County Department of Parks and Recreation, in conjunction with the Churchville Nature Center, will host the annual Lenape Village Pow-wow at Core Creek Park (10 a.m.-8 p.m. on July 28, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on July 29). For more information on the event, visit www.churchvillenaturecenter.org. Since joining the Board of Bucks County Commissioners in January, 2005, Cawley has served as a guest tile maker at the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, as a security screener in the Doylestown courthouse, as a Health Department restaurant inspector, and as a fire marshal, to name just a few.
Add comment July 26th, 2007