It’s Not Too Late to Name our Snake!

You can still join the fun(draiser) and take part in the contest to name the captive Gray Ratsnake housed at the Visitor Centre at Murphys Point! This fellow has been educating and delighting park visitors for years, but he’s never been given a name.

Cast your vote in the Visitor Centre at Murphys Point!

You can have your say right up to Thanksgiving. By the end of the season, the name that has accumulated the most money will be awarded to the snake. Proceeds go to the Friends of Murphys Point Park in support of Gray Ratsnake monitoring and education in the park.

A shortlist of 12 names has been pared down to these four:

Sleepy John (apparently a common name for Black Ratsnakes in the South) Mica (both found at Murphys Point; both black and shiny) Gabe (after ratsnake scientist Gabriel Blouin-Demers – who is also in the Friends’ ratsnake video) Murph (since Murphys Point is one of the last protected areas for ratsnakes in Ontario)

Get in on the fun and cast your vote! Drop by the Visitor Centre, which is open on Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. up to Thanksgiving. See displays about the park’s nature and cultural heritage. Check out our live Ratsnake display – the snake comes out at 2 p.m. for a short demonstration.

Posted in flora and fauna, Friends of Murphys Point, Gray Ratsnake, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, visitors centre, Weekly Activities | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Final 2012 Heritage Mica Festival Event – Thanksgiving Dinner!

“Dave Lally Cooks a Turkey”- A Heritage Walk Mine Tour and Thanksgiving Dinner in the Miners’ Bunkhouse will take place on Saturday, Oct. 6. Costumed characters from our heritage will greet you along the way with stories of the early days of the people involved in mica mining. Your evening starts at the old barn foundation of the Lally Homestead and proceeds along the trail to the Silver Queen Mine and the miners’ bunkhouse. The light from mica lanterns will light up the bunkhouse as you enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner typical of the early 1900s. Itinerant musicians provide entertainment and the actors will join you at dinner.

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at the bunkhouse! (Jane Irwin photo)

The cost of this event is $55 per person, which includes the mini outdoor theatre pieces, a tour of the mine, dinner and music as well as all taxes and park permit fees. For more information or to order advance tickets contact us at eventsmurphys@ripnet.com or call 613-267-5340.

We hope to see you there! Gobble gobble gobble!

Posted in Friends of Murphys Point, Heritage, Heritage Mica Festival, Lally, Lally Homestead, Mica Festival, mica mine, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Seven Wonders of Lanark County, Silver Queen Mine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Congrats to Our Canoe Winner!

Congratulations to Don Lewis of Perth, who was the winner of the Friends’ annual canoe raffle! Don purchased the winning ticket during our fundraising garage sale event in May.

Friends VP Judy and Park Warden Chad draw the winning name for the 2012 Canoe Raffle! (Photo by Cindy Deachman)

Don has won a 16-foot, fibreglass Trailhead Prospector Canoe with ash web seats, a flat ash yoke and vinyl gunnels (provided at a reduced rate by Ottawa Paddle Shack) along with two paddles and two PFDs (donated by Canadian Tire in Perth) The whole package is worth about $1,500 and proceeds support our programs.

The draw was held at Hogg Bay Beach at noon following a fantastic and successful pancake breakfast held as part of the Heritage Mica Festival.

Thanks to everyone for supporting the Friends canoe raffle – and stay tuned for details about next year!

Posted in canoe raffle, canoe winner, Friends canoe winner, Friends of Murphys Point, garage sale, Heritage Mica Festival, Mica Festival, Murphys Point, Murphys Point events, Murphys Point Provincial Park, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment