Thanks to the funding from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources through the No Child Left Inside grant program, the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center was awarded $3,608.00 to purchase 4 new canoes. These canoes are used recreationally on the Dobbins Creek that runs through the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center to East Side Lake. They are also used on the pond located on the nature center property during free community programming. Throughout the summer the canoes are used for various summer school groups on the pond. The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center offers two different canoe trips during the summer for kids. Staff take participants down the Cedar River in Austin, MN to learn and practice their canoe skills. Depending on the trip they either canoe down the Root River or Shell Rock River.