Blue Cross & Blue Shield awards grant to MWFPF
JACKSON – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation has awarded a $3,855,000 grant to the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks Foundation for the Lefleur’s Bluff State Park Education and Tourism Partnership between the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks’ Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Children’s Museum.
“The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks is truly excited to partner with so many organizations to offer children and families visiting Lefleur’s Bluff State Park and our museum an opportunity to enjoy an active outdoor experience on the new playground and walking trail,” Executive Director of MDWFP Dr. Sam Polles said.
The Lefleur’s Bluff State Park playground will be located between the MDWFP’S Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Children’s Museum. This grant will provide essential funds to create a state-ofthe-art complex for physical and educational activities through a playground, outdoor classroom and pavilion, and museum walking trail.
“The Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is proud of its impact to empower lasting change that is evident in both the built environment and in the health of Mississippians,” Foundation Board Chairman Dr. Thomas C. Fenter said. “The Foundation’s partnership with the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks Foundation to build a myriad of inclusive outdoor opportunities will encourage Mississippians to be active.”
The 21st century playground will feature 80 play activities, 73 of these features will be inclusive to children with accessibility needs, and will be separated into different play areas based on age, for children ages 6 months to 12-years-old.
The Outdoor Classroom and Pavilion will provide multiple functions for both museums, such as educational and outdoor programming for field trips and a place to showcase presentations for the award-winning Mississippi Science Festival. The pavilion will provide tables and seating for up to 50 students, as well as accommodate a larger assembly with an open-air amphitheater and grass lawn.
The Museum Walking Trail will provide engaging, family-oriented opportunities to travel between MDWFP’S Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the Mississippi Children’s Museum, so guests can safely and conveniently visit both museums and the playground. The 8-foot wide walking trail will feature educational components from the Newbery Honor Award winning children’s book, Minn of the Mississippi.
“The Lefleur’s Bluff State Park Playground, Outdoor Classroom and Pavilion and Museum Trail align with the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation’s strategic focus to provide sustainable health and well-being opportunities for Mississippians,” Foundation President Sheila B. Grogan said. “Encouraging children, families and others to spend more time outside engaging in fun play activities, taking a walk or learning together in an outdoor classroom setting develops life-long positive attitudes about maintaining healthy lifestyles.”
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is the signature sponsor of the Lefleur’s Bluff State Park Playground, Outdoor Classroom and Pavilion and Museum Trail. Leaders of the Foundation are proud to work with the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks Foundation, MDWFP’S Mississippi Natural Science Museum, and the Mississippi Children’s Museum to build a healthy Mississippi.
“The holiday season is brighter because of this generous gift from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation to the MWFP Foundation,” Assistant Director of MDWFP’S Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Angel Rohnke said. “The agency and museum staff is thankful for the opportunity to work with our partners to develop creative as well as innovative uses for this outdoor space that will benefit Mississippi’s youth, families, students, teachers, and visitors to our great state.”
The Mississippi Children’s Museum is elated for the Lefleur’s Bluff
State Park to receive these funds that will enhance the area and connect Mississippi children to greater experiences.
“The Lefleur’s Bluff Educational and Tourism Partnership is transformational for our state,” President/ceo of the Mississippi Children’s Museum Susan Garrard said. “This partnership, between two award-winning museums, will provide state-of-theart amenities and educational opportunities for everyone who visits. The strategic plan is innovative and sparks a vision for the future of Mississippi, and we are grateful for the vision and commitment of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation’s board of directors.”
Rainbow trout stocked at Lake Lamar Bruce
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks stocked 700 rainbow trout into the fishing pond at Lake Lamar Bruce near Saltillo earlier this month.
“Rainbow trout have been popular with anglers of all ages, and provide a unique angling opportunity in Mississippi,”
MDWFP Fisheries Biologist Dustin Rodgers said. “This is a great opportunity to introduce someone to fishing as well as catch some nice fish during the winter.
“Anglers have had success catching the trout on inline spinners and crappie grubs the past three years. The trout will even bite a hook baited with corn kernels. As a cold water species, they will bite readily in the winter months.”
Anglers can harvest up to three trout per person per day with no size restrictions. Anglers must have a valid fishing license and a state lake daily or annual fishing permit to fish in the pond.
The fish were provided by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Greers Ferry National Fish Hatchery and stocked by MDWFP personnel from the North Mississippi Fish Hatchery in Enid.
For more information regarding fishing in Mississippi, visit www.mdwfp. com or call 601-432-2200. Follow on Facebook at facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mdwfponline.