Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation hosts numerous events, free of charge, during the summer. These educational activities provide an opportunity to learn about the importance of keeping the lake clean in fun, hands on experiences. There are canoe trips, bug catches, historical cruise, wetland adventures and more.Friday morning canoe trips throughout the summer are offered, starting at 7:30 a.m. and completed about noon. The guides and canoes take guests on an unforgettable trip. Each trip is different while still seeing the varying flora and fauna and miles of shoreline protected by WACF. Al Campbell coordinates the schedule, which is done via email aldotcam@gmail.com. The trips do fill up fast so plan in advance for your summer adventure. Bring your own canoe or kayak or ride in one of the WACF canoes. This is one of the rare occasions where a small $5 per person cost is charged to cover equipment costs.The next WACF’s Lake Talk and Eats, held the first Saturday June through August, features the annual bug catch. Now in its fifth year, this year’s event will be held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, July 2, at the Levinson-LaBrosse Lakes & Wetlands Education Center, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse. Nancy Brown, a certified Hoosier Water Trainer will return to lead the group into the water and catching aquatic bugs. Grandparents and kids can compete for prizes catching aquatic critters and learn why these critters are very important to water quality. Participants are suggested to bring water shoes. While some nets are available, participants are invited to bring their own nets to catch these critters. The event is free and includes a light breakfast.The final program in the series will be a special event, the WACF Lilly Pad Cruise, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. Reservations and tickets are required. Those on the Lilly Pad discover the amazing history of Wawasee, including Native American facts and influence, historic landmarks and the evolving ecology of the lakes. Find more information at www.wacf.com.Additionally, just for kids, every Thursday morning, from 9-11:30 a.m. in July, is the Wetland Adventures for Kids. This event, also held at the educational center, is free and no registration is required. Parents or an adult are requested to accompany the kids. During the adventure, kids will learn about the watershed and lakes, walk the trails and make nature crafts.Last year the canoe scavenger hunt was held. It will be repeated this year so make sure to bring life jackets. Canoes and paddles will be provided. Also be prepared for outdoor weather.Dates for this year’s Wetland Adventures will be July 6, 13, 20 and 27. Remember each morning session will be different so you may want to come to all four.Adults should not feel left out of the education programming. WACF has created and presented Discover the WACF, a 30-minute presentation that highlights the watershed with a slide show and interactive activity plus a short video. This presentation can be presented to groups November through March and can be scheduled by emailing education@wacf.edu.