By: Brooke Byrne, Lion’s Eye Editor, bzb5183@psu.edu

Families came together for pancakes and fun lessons on tapping trees for syrup when Tyler Arboretum’s maple tree celebration was welcomed back to Media on February 28.
This “flipping out” feast encouraged guests to visit learning stations set up around the arboretum to learn more about trees and their sap. Once attendees had a better understanding of this process that only happens in this corner of the world, they even had a chance to tap the trees themselves. After all this talk of syrup, guests were treated to a special all-you-can-eat breakfast of pancakes and sausage.
One of the hard workers behind this fun event is Penn State Brandywine’s own Laura McPhail. McPhail is a communications professor here and also works in public relations for Tyler Arboretum. “We start planning for major events like the Pancake Breakfast at least four months in advance. There are lots of logistics that have to be worked out, volunteers have to be identified and trained, ingredients have to be procured, sponsors have to be solicited, and we have to get the word out, among many other details,” said McPhail.
The planning for this event helped to ensure a great day, which benefited not only those in attendance but also the arboretum itself. “All proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast and Maple Sugaring Celebration support general operations. Admission dollars help provide horticulture collections, summer camps and many other ways to protect, preserve and share our natural and historic resources,” said McPhail. Admission to this event also allowed guests entry into the arboretum for the day where they could explore on their own the land that they were helping to save.
Whether for the nature, the learning experience, or just a fun day out, plenty of people and their families went to Tyler Arboretum and left satisfied. “I always have fun at the events here,” local high school sophomore Rebecca DePiero said. “My friends and I like this one in particular because the food is always delicious.”
To ensure that all guests are this happy and determine the success of events like these, there are surveys available for attendees to fill out. “We also monitor social media comments and gather statistics from admission numbers. And of course, the best assessment of success is the smiles we see as people leave our events happy,” McPhail said.
For information on future Tyler Arboretum events and how you can help make a difference, visit TylerArboretum.org.