Ross and Eliza Peterson moved to Erie in 2005. They were immediately drawn to Asbury Woods as a way to connect to nature with their young family.
When their children were in preschool they enjoyed walking the trails and participating in nature camp. Their son Will remembers coming to the Nature Center as a small child and being in wonder of the observational bee hive and interactive exhibits. He loved walking across the bridge inside and spotting the fish.
Lifelong learning and nature appreciation are important values to the Petersons, and they found connection to the outdoors and the environment by visiting Asbury Woods through the years. As their children have gotten older, Ross and Eliza come to Asbury Woods in all seasons for events like the annual Maple Festival, Scary Creature Feature, Winter Wonderland, and cross country races. All three children attended summer camp and loved to volunteer as a camp counselor now that they are older. The trails are also a favorite for their yellow lab, Piper, who loves to go for long walks to explore.
Ross and Eliza have been longtime supporters of the annual fundraiser, Wine and Dine in the Woods and love to support the mission of Asbury Woods through this initiative.
“The Wine and Dine event is not only a great way to support Asbury Woods, but also a fun event where we see many people who we miss seeing over the winter. That is something we especially look forward to post-COVID. The food is great and the company is even better. We feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful place in our region that we can all take advantage of and enjoy.”