Anita Weier

You will have a chance on Tuesday, Aug. 9, to support children’s environmental education while enjoying a Benvenuto’s meal.

Anyone who has lunch or dinner at the Northside Benvenuto’s—or orders delivery or take-out or buys a gift card—will be making a contribution to the Friends of Cherokee Marsh that will help bring groups of schoolchildren to Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park for guided, hands-on learning. However, you must tell the restaurant staff specifically that you want your payment to benefit the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, a nonprofit organization.

Benvenuto’s, located at 1849 Northport Drive in the Northside TownCenter, then will donate a generous 20 percent of the tab to the Friends. The restaurant also offers one-half off bottles of wine on Tuesday nights.

For the 2015–16 school year, Friends’ funding brought 573 students from eight Madison elementary schools to the marsh. “ We want to give all kids a chance to visit Cherokee Marsh to learn about our wetlands while experiencing them first-hand,” said Friends President Jan Axelson.

As the Madison Metropolitan School District faces repeated budget cuts, the Friends’ funding will be even more vital, according to a school district official.

The Friends’ ongoing work also supports the goal of the City of Madison’s initiative to Connect Children to Nature, sponsored by the National League of Cities and the Children & Nature Network with a $25,000 planning grant. Madison was one of only seven cities selected to participate in the program, which aimed to increase equitable access to nature.