Gerald Hanks
While Hurricane Harvey showed the ferocity and power of nature at its worst, another event this weekend seeks to show kids the beauty and grace of nature.
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The Take Me Outdoors Festival will be held at the Discovery Green Park in downtown Houston this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Lauren “Ren” Mitchell, marketing manager for Discovery Green, describes the event as an opportunity for healing after the devastating storm.
“There’s nothing more healing than being outside, especially at Discovery Green because it’s so remarkable,” Mitchell told a local newspaper. “You see the skyline in the background, you see all that grass, and it can certainly make you reflective. It’s truly healing to be as one with your community as well.”
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The event is free, open to the public, and features numerous interactive exhibits from conservation groups such as Wetlands Center and Baytown Nature Center. The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and its Texas Outdoor Family programs will be featured, as well.
The family-friendly event will also include a Laser Shot Shooting Simulator, hunting and fishing exhibits, and a demonstration of live hawks and other birds of prey in flight by master falconer John Karger of “Last Chance Forever – the Bird of Prey Conservancy.”
Organizers hope the festival reconnects Houstonians with the wonders of the outdoors. After being stuck inside for several days during the storm, and dealing with the cleanup efforts afterwards, fresh air and sunshine may come as a welcome relief from their concerns, according to Mitchell.
She stated the mission of the park is “to serve as a place of respite and a place of community.”
“We’re very keen to what’s happening post-Harvey in the coming weeks, and our mission of being a village green has never faltered. That’s our mission, and that’s what we do; we’re a place to put the rest away.”
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