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The center began with a small building and a single staffer in 1967 on 100 acres donated by Rip and Patty Schemmn of Grosse Pointe. The building was expanded to its current 4,500 square feet in 1973 and in the past 40 years the number of children coming through the facility annually has grown from 2,000 to 12,000.

Mike Champagne, who has been the center's director for the past 16 years said, "The day I walked in here, people were saying we really need to expand."

Last month the center announced to its members an ambitious plan to raise $1.8 million to expand the facility.

Currently, the center's collections, auditorium and gift shop are all in one space, which at times makes things somewhat chaotic. "We've been juggling for some many years, we're almost used to it," Champagne said.

However, Peter Maniaci of Ortonville's Maniaci Associates has designed an addition that blends with the existing facility, while providing a separate auditorium, gift shop and new restrooms.

The addition will allow the center to convert the existing auditorium, gift shop and rest room area into display space. Champagne said there are many things in the center's extensive collections that can't be displayed the way staff would like them to currently because of the display area's need to do double duty as a program area.

Champagne said the center plans to spend $1.2 million on expanding the building and improving its parking area. "Its not unusual for us to have 40 cars here and our parking lot can handle 14," he said.

That's why the center has plans to develop a 22,000-square-foot parking area, which combined with the existing parking area will provide space for 60 cars.

"We're trying to be as green as possible," said Champagne, explaining that's why the board opted to reuse as much of the existing facility as possible, rather than start from scratch. He said that will also allow the center to keep running programs through the construction process.

"That was essential," he said.

Since beginning the capital improvements campaign earlier this year, the center has raised $1.26 million through membership pledges and grants. In April alone the Lapeer County Community Fund donated $50,000 and the Four County Community Foundation added another $25,000.

Champagne said that means the easy part is over. For the final third, the center will turn to the public. He said tens of thousands of people have come through the center, which has grown to cover 468 acres, over the years and the center is working to reach them.

"We're trying to get the word out as much as possible," Champagne said.

Next month The Friends of Seven Ponds will host Picnic at the Ponds. For $27 a person or $50 a couple, visitors to the center will have the choice of pheasant pie or vegetable mushroom pie, along with assorted cheeses and fresh garden greens.

Tickets for Picnic at the Ponds, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. July 26 at the center 3854 Crawford Road, are available by calling (810) 796-3200.

Anyone interested in donating to the capital improvements fund can call the same number.

Phil Foley may be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8148 or pfoley@lapeergroup.com