Tuesday, July 17 was no ordinary day for the campers at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick. When they arrived at camp, they were told there would be a special visitor and the crew quickly sprang into action creating welcome banners. Who was the visitor? None other than Governor Deval Patrick.

Governor Patrick was at Broadmoor to join Anita Walker of Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), Marty Jones of MassDevelopment, State Representative David Linsky, and State Senator Karen Spilka to award cultural nonprofits (including Broadmoor) grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund (CFF).

Broadmoor, specifically, will receive $185,000 from CFF to put toward upgrading and expanding the Saltonstall Nature Center, one of the state’s pioneering green buildings. All of the speakers echoed Governor Patrick in noting how important cultural institutions including Mass Audubon, the Danforth Art Museum in Framingham, and the deCordova Museum in Lincoln are for the state of Massachusetts and its residents.

“Our investments in our cultural life is about completing us. It’s about completing us as community, as human beings, and completing us economically as well,” he said.

Governor Patrick and Senator Spilka enjoyed the opportunity to tour the current nature center as well as to take a brief walk on Broadmoor’s universally accessible All Person’s Trail. Mass Audubon is so thankful to Massachusetts Cultural Council, MassDevelopment, and the Governor for honoring us not only with their visit but with the funds to make Broadmoor’s project a reality.