By Mark Ambrogi
After 13 years serving Zionsville, the Zion Nature Center found it was high time to clean out its closets and attic space.
Workers have done just that, and the center will sell many of those items in a rummage sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 to 4 at the center, 690 Beech St. The sale will help raise funds for a new home for two Eastern box turtles. The sale will feature children and adult books, Halloween costumes, seashells, posters, toys, educational items, furniture and plastic containers.
The turtles and hybrid turtle are living in what Zionsville park naturalist Mindy Murdock described as a mishmash of an animal room.
“The turtles are in a really big box,” Murdock said. “It’s a nice home for them. It’s difficult for those that have little (children) to actually look in there because they have to step up on step stools. Sometimes you have to lift the little ones up. We are trying to find a way to update that to make it easier on us but kind of go with a nature look.”
So the center did research on the cost of a new custom-made home, which is designed as a hollowed out tree stump. It will be about 2 1/2 feet high so children can look over and in at the turtles. Murdock said the top will be easy to remove if a school group is in. There will be two compartments since the male and female turtles don’t get along, she said.
“It’s more user friendly for the visitors,” Murdock said. “We hope the rummage sale will be the kickstart to it. Once we have an idea what is going to cost we are going to look for grants and look for fundraising and sponsors so next year we can get this exhibit built.”
Friends of Zion Nature Center will match funds raised during the sale (up to $500).
