Submitted Photo Runners and walkers of all ages will want to mark their calendars now for Audubon Community Nature Center’s Run for Liberty 5K Run/Walk on July 30. Early registration earns a free event t-shirt.

The Audubon Community Nature Center will hold its Run for Liberty 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, July 30.

In honor of Bald Eagle Liberty’s 20th anniversary at Audubon Community Nature Center, in Jamestown, Audubon brought back the original name to the annual event.

The Run for Liberty was Audubon’s first 5K and the money raised went to support her care and upkeep. This year ACNC is welcoming new birds of prey to join Liberty as animal ambassadors to teach visitors about their lives. The Run for Liberty travels through forests and fields, past ponds, and over boardwalks as the race winds through the trail system. This trail race never touches a road, though one quarter mile of the trail is paved.

To receive a free event t-shirt, register by July 19 through the link at AudubonCNC.org.

Prizes are awarded to the first three overall male and female walker and runner finishers. Age group awards are given to the top three finishers in each division for runners and top finisher in each division for walkers.

Run for Liberty 5K volunteers are needed for set up, runner check-in, snack station, route monitoring, and clean-up. Those interested can call Audubon at 716-569-2345.

Sponsors include the Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Curt and Susie Westrom, Holmberg Foundation, Hultquist Foundation, Jessie Smith Darrah Fund, Lenna Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Bob Frucella’s Tax Service, Bush Industries/a Brand of eSolutions Furniture, Hal and Mary Conarro, Univera Healthcare, Weinberg Financial Group and Whirley-Drinkworks.

For information on how to become an Audubon community partner, contact Leigh Rovegno at LRovegno@AudubonCNC.org.

The Audubon Community Nature Center is located at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren. Visit the 600-acre nature preserve and see Liberty, the non-releasable Bald Eagle, enjoy the native tree arboretum, gardens, picnic area, natural play space and hike the six miles of trails dawn until dusk daily for free.

The three-story Nature Center building houses interactive displays, a collection of live animals including the Hellbender exhibit, the 2021 Nature Photography Contest winners, and the Blue Heron Gift Shop. Visitors are welcome Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Nature Center members and SNAP/EBT cardholders have free building admission daily. Building admission is also free every Sunday for non-Nature Center members. Face coverings are strongly recommended while visiting inside the Nature Center building.

To learn more about Audubon and its programs, call 716-569-2345, find Audubon Community Nature Center on Facebook, or visit AudubonCNC.org. Entries to the 2022 Nature Photography Contest and votes for the Community Choice winners can be made at GoGoPhotoContest.com/ACNCPhotoContest.