Afraid of the outdoors.

It happens nearly every time a class comes to Dunwoody Nature Center: there are children afraid of bees and yellow jackets, worried that snakes lurk everywhere, startled by the wind, and anxious about all the open space. They're afraid of the outdoors.

In the past five years, we've cut the time we spend outdoors in half. More and more children are more comfortable indoors, with their electronic games and wired entertainment. Adults move from temperature-controlled home to car to work and back again. Every moment of the day is scheduled, structured, and stressful.

What are we doing to ourselves?

Teach one child to love nature and you nurture a life of self-sufficiency and creativity. Teach a class to appreciate the natural beauty around them and you develop a generation that enjoys and appreciates the outdoors.

Dunwoody Nature Center is beginning its Fall Annual Campaign. Its environmental education programs are funded entirely by memberships, generous donors, and program fees.

If you haven't visited Dunwoody Nature Center lately (or ever), take a walk in the park. Enjoy the splashing creek. Perch along the railing of the treehouse pavilion for a tree-high view of what's happening in the wetlands. Share a picnic in the fresh open air.

And consider supporting this Dunwoody gem with a contribution to the Annual Fund. You can do it easily: just visit www.dunwoodynature.org and click "Donate Now." Every dollar helps ensure that one more child discovers the joy of playing outside.

Will it be your child?