Volunteer

Project Monarch Health
Altizer Lab of the University of Georgia

In our lab, we study Monarch butterflies, as well as their parasite Ophrocystis elektroschirra (OE). As well as working in the lab, we have developed a project, Project Monarch Health, that allows us to work with everyday citizens all over North America ... from retired adults to entire elementary school classes. In our lab, we put together a kit containing all the supplies and information necessary to safely raise or catch and sample adult Monarchs for the OE parasite. We use this information, gathered from all over, to asses how the parasite is affecting migrating Monarchs.
While we have hundreds of participants in our program, we would like to have more involvement from the Western and Midwestern states. Could you help is in spreading information about our project? For more information on what we do in the lab and our citizen outreach program, please visit http://www.monarchparasites.org/ /.

Sonia Altizer and Samantha Burton
Institute of Ecology
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602
(770) 542-3485
mailto:MonarchHealth@gmail.com
http://www.monarchparasites.org

We will depart from RESA at 33500 Vanborn Rd. at 8 AM sharp, and there is plenty of free parking. Traveling South on Venoy, 5454 Venoy is on your right, and you would make a right turn at the light at Venoy and Vanborn, travel 400' and RESA is on your right. If your traveling West pass through the intersection of Venoy and Vanborn travel 400' and RESA is on your right.

Along the way we will stop for coffee and bagels, and our new 36 passenger, air conitioned motor coach will comfortably take us to Elmore, Ohio and Schedel Gardens and Arboretum which is approximately 75 miles South on I-75.

We have added an additional tour. Our first escorted tour of the 17 acre site will present over 15,000 annuals, over 50 species of trees, 50 varieties of lilacs, and a Japanese Garden with graceful bridges, stone lanterns, and pagoda-like towers. The second escorted tour which we just added will include a visit to the Schedel Victorian Mansion that overlooks the bend in the Portage River. This tour features numerous artifacts the Schedel's collected throughout the world.

We invite you to bring snacks and a light lunch, water will be provided, to enjoy as we motor to Bench's Greenhouse and Nursery for some shop til you drop time. Then, we are off to Tony Packos in Toledo for some Hungarian Cuisine. Their hot dogs with cole slaw are to die for. If you remember the most watched show in television history-MASH, Corporal Klinger, played by Toledo Native, Jaime Farr, often boasted about Tony Packo's in Toledo.

If time and storage permit we will stop at Snow's Nursery in Monroe on our return. We will be back at RESA by 6 PM. The $30 includes round trip bus fare, admission, and two tours at Schedel.

First come, first served and your check is your reservation made payable to MGWWC. Please mail it to Bruce Forrest 22117 Haskell Taylor, Mich. 48180 2704. For questions (313) 295 1889 or bruceforrest@comcast.net.

Schedel Gardens and Arboretum, Bench's Greenhouse and Nursery, and Tony Packos have websites for your online review