Logo courtesy of Effie Yeaw Nature Center

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - For 50 years, generations of Sacramento-area children have explored trails, encountered wildlife and discovered the natural world at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael. Now, as the Nature Center celebrates its golden anniversary, it is looking toward the children who will experience nature there over the next 50 years.

The Nature Center will mark the milestone with its Golden Jubilee, a special 50th anniversary gala on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center.

Proceeds will support expansion of the Nature Center’s Urban Nature Program, which removes financial and transportation barriers to outdoor and environmental education for students attending Title I schools in communities with greater financial need. The Nature Center has set a goal of doubling participation in the program to reach 4,000 students.

“For 50 years, Effie Yeaw has given generations of children a place to experience the wonder of nature — sometimes for the very first time,” said Rachael Cowan, executive director of the Effie Yeaw Nature Center. “As we celebrate this milestone, we’re also thinking about the children who will come through our doors in the decades ahead. We want even more young people to have that opportunity.”

Guests at the Golden Jubilee will gather for a festive evening under the oaks featuring dinner by Bella Bru, drinks and dessert, a wine wall, and silent and live auctions featuring one-of-a-kind art and experiences.

Among the auction highlights are a behind-the-scenes UC Davis raptor tour, a Gold Country getaway and rafting adventure, and a family campfire and evening hike at the Nature Center. Guests can also bid on original artwork by notable California and Sacramento-area artists, including Deladier Almeida, Pat Mahony, Tom Sellas and David Peterson.

The evening will also feature a familiar face from the Nature Center’s past. Reesa Eliza Artz grew up attending Effie Yeaw camps and later returned as a teen volunteer camp counselor. Today, she is a Sacramento City Unified School District nurse serving Title I schools, a Ph.D. candidate in Indigenous and Rural Health, and National American Miss California Elite 2026. Artz will serve as co-MC of the Golden Jubilee with auctioneer Keith McClain and share her personal story.

“Reesa’s story brings the evening’s purpose full circle,” Cowan said. “She grew up experiencing nature at Effie Yeaw and is now helping raise support so more children can have that same opportunity.”

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for businesses, organizations and individuals interested in supporting the Golden Jubilee and helping the Nature Center expand opportunities for more local students to experience nature.

For information, tickets and sponsorships visit effieyeawnature.org/gala-2026.

About the Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center is where people of all ages and backgrounds connect with nature and with each other. As the Interpretive Center of the Lower American River, EYNC sparks curiosity, nurtures stewardship, and shares the natural history and living cultural heritage of the land.

EYNC offers a museum, animal ambassadors, and a 100-acre Nature Study Area that showcases the region’s oak woodland and riparian habitat. EYNC is operated by the American River Natural History Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental education and community engagement. Learn more at effieyeawnature.org.