Rich Eakin, Board member of the Friends of Erie National Widllife Refuge displays a new interactive outreach tool created by himself, a summer STEP employee, and an SCA intern. Rich painted the eagle. Photographer: Lynn Miller, 9/9/2008.

Ashley Hodges (SCA intern) and Ryan Maloney (summer STEP) display newly created outreach tool. Photographer: Adrianne Smith, 8/15/2008.

Through the efforts of a summer STEP employee, a Student Conservation Association intern, and a Board member of the Friends of Erie National Wildlife Refuge - a new outreach tool has been developed for the Refuge.   Ryan Maloney (STEP), Ashley Hodges (SCA), and Rich Eakin (Friends) together created an attention-getting, interactive wheel for use at the Crawford County Fair and other outreach venues.    The wheel was designed and fabricated by Ryan, the educational portion was developed by Ashley, and Rich painted a bold image of the face of a bald eagle.    The goal was to attact attention in a busy Fair setting and get passers-by to stop and take a few minutes to learn more about Erie National Wildlife Refuge - without spending a lot of money and without requiring the booth to be continually staffed.