Nature, science and bugs were overarching themes of SAFE BASE’s three-day summer classes this year. On the final day, kids had a chance to get up close with a host of different kinds of critters.
Carrie Tiemeyer, known as “the bug lady,” had a small sampling of the more than 120 different animals she owns. Tiemeyer travels the state, giving an interactive educational experience to kids. Wednesday night children had a chance to touch a millipede, hedge hog and even a corn snake. Some of the other bugs and animals had to be viewed from inside a container due to their dangerous nature. They included examples of black widow and brown recluse spiders and scorpions. The more dangerous the creepy crawlers, the more fascinated the kids.
“The scorpion was really cool,” Jack Adams, 9, said. “I wasn’t scared of it. The legs and the tail were really neat.”
Throughout the presentation, a few volunteers were brought up from the crowd to take a “feel test” of some of the exhibits. Chase Vaughn, SAFE BASE volunteer, fell prey to a practical joke in particular. Vaughn was asked to put his arm out and close his eyes. After doing so, Tiemeyer started tickling and poking him until he opened his eyes in worry. Having an African Millipede pushed in his face was what finally made him jump. Despite the experience Vaughn reassured Tiemeyer and the audience that he had managed to, “stay dry.”
The class then moved to the Wayne Garrett Children’s Garden as the sun was setting to unleash the 4,500 ladybugs that had been billed as the main event of the evening. Despite the diminutive size of the newest garden inhabitants, they seemed to make an impression with some of the children.
“I thought they were really nice looking,” Ryleigh Bailey, 11, said. “There were so many of them crawling all over his (Bruce Jacob’s) arms.”
The children settled in the street to watch, “A Bug’s Life,” a Pixar animated film. Those who had completed the third grade or older stayed overnight at Lincoln Elementary to participate in a sleepover with a fire-lit story-telling session, star gazing and other late night activities.
Angela Henry, director of SAFE BASE, thought the three days were time well spent.
“The kids were a lot of fun,” Henry said. “We had a chance to do a lot of things these kids might not get a chance to otherwise see. Our volunteers and staff really made this a great thing for them. Overall it was pretty successful.”
