About Us
The Great Plains Nature Center (GPNC) is a cooperative project between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, City of Wichita, and the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center. The Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center is a nonprofit, 501c3 organization that actively supports the GPNC by:
- Increasing awareness of the GPNC's mission
- Promoting and sustaining the GPNC's programs and special events
- Recruiting volunteers
- Fundraising for the long-term health of the GPNC
- Employing several fulltime and part-time staff members working at the GPNC
Membership Matters
The Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center is our principal membership program that brings individuals and community-minded organizations together to support the vision of inspiring stewardship of the natural world through exceptional experiences to benefit future generations.
Why Membership?
- Bring nature education to nearly 50,000 students in central Kansas
- Improve the Great Plains Nature Center amenities
- Provide food and veterinary care for our animal ambassadors
- Nurture one of the largest urban parks in Kansas
- Employ several full-time and part-time staff members at the Great Plains Nature Center
- As a Friend of the Great Plains Nature Center you will also be invited to participate in friends-only activities, including private tours and lectures, networking events, and other opportunities to experience nature in a deeper way.
Register or renew your membership in the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center today!
We couldn't do this without YOU! Your membership is making a difference.
Individual and Family Memberships
Friend - $25/year
Senior, Educator, Student, Military - $20/year
Family - $50/year
Senior Family - $25/year
Support us while you shop
Support us with your Dillon's Plus card
- Go to dillons.com/communityrewards
- Sign in to your Plus Card account
- Click “Enroll Now”
- Search for "Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center" or enter our number 64512
- Select our organization, click “Enroll,” and you’re done! Thank you!
Support us on Amazon Smile
Use https://smile.amazon.com/ when you shop on amazon and automatically generate donations as you shop online.
Select Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center for your support!
The Friends Board
These are the members of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the GPNC for 2022. Board elections are in February.
President: Tonya Bronleewe
President-elect: Kathy Frieze
Secretary: Sarah Shaffer Treasurer: Caroline Gadbury
Vice President: Bob Gress
Vice President: Jim Mason
Vice President: Susan Bowers
Vice President: Lorrie Beck
Vice President: Charles Cope
Andy Adams Cori Kohlmeier John Van Wallaghen
Marylee Ramsay
Mary Liz Jameson
Tanica Bradt
Brad Rice
Amy Fellows Cline
Laura Fent
Heather Haines Dan Thompson
Amanda Alessi - ex officio for City of Wichita Parks & Recreation
Emily Davis- ex officio for Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Victoria Burnett- ex officio for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce
Tax Information
Our publicly-available tax information for the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center.