Our Story
Our Friends’ group supports the Waterloo Recreation Area by presenting and sponsoring programs throughout the park, including campgrounds and the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center. Our programs cover local flora and fauna, plus other ecological and natural history topics for the general public.
We fund displays and improvement projects at the Discovery Center and other places in the Waterloo Recreation Area, including the Burg native artifact collection, bird exhibits, the observation bee hive, and most recently, the Living Life Cycle exhibits featuring live animals.
We also constructed the observation deck, and the osprey platform visible from it. We help maintain and improve the trails throughout the park, most recently funding the lumber purchase for the new boardwalk through the Bog trail.
In addition we support special events including the Maple Sugar Festival in March and the Sand Hill Crane Celebration in October.
Finally, we operate the gift shop in the Discovery Center, which is staffed by our volunteers. All proceeds are used to sponsor weekend public programs and other projects benefiting the park.