MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Mark your calendars for the 17th annual “Saddle Up” FUN-draiser event on Saturday, April 20, to support Middle Tennessee State University’s Ann Campbell Early Learning Center.

Local families are invited to mosey over to the MTSU Tennessee Livestock Center, at 1720 Greenland Drive, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. April 20 to kick off the morning with a light breakfast from Donut Country and Purity Dairy followed by a center full of activities.

Pick up tickets at $15 per family at the door or online at https://tinyurl.com/syfu3xp4. Proceeds will continue to fund the center’s over four decades of work providing an inclusive environment for children 12 months to kindergarten age to learn and explore together through developmentally appropriate play activities.

“Congratulations! You have made our ACE Learning Center’s famous ‘Most Wanted List’ for our one-of-kind fundraiser, Saddle Up 2024!” shared Charlotte Scott-Moore, the center’s director, already getting into character for the event. “Saddle Up is guaranteed fun for the whole family, so we hope to see you there for a good time and a good cause.” 

Activities will sprawl across the livestock arena and include performers like Moozie the Cow, who teaches her audience about the importance of kindness and empathy; an exhibit from the local Discovery Center at Murfree Spring; a close encounter with the MTSU lunar rover and more. There will also be a silent auction available throughout the event packed with child and family themed items.

“These funds will help with the maintenance of our wheelchair-accessible outdoor playground, hiring additional support staff, and obtaining high-quality and developmentally appropriate learning materials,” Scott-Moore said.

Described as “the very best place for young children with and without disabilities to engage in exceptional early childhood learning experiences,” on its website, the center also functions as a training site for more than 200 college students each year. Students receive hands-on, in-classroom training and observation opportunities that range from eight-hour observations to internships that last 80 hours or more, and, in exchange, the center receives high-quality staffing in their classrooms as students interact with, play alongside and support the children.

Learn more about the opportunities at the Ann Campbell Early Learning Center at https://mtsu.edu/acelearningcenter/. 

— Stephanie Wagner (Stephanie.Wagner@mtsu.edu)