CALEDONIA - River Bend Nature Center held an open house Wednesday afternoon to introduce its new staff - not just a new director, but a group of people who will form the basis for the nature center and the YWCA's structure.

Some people in the area were shocked in February when the YWCA - of which River Bend is a subdivision - fired Nancy Pierce, who had been hired to direct the center. At the time, YWCA officials said the financial situation under Pierce was not acceptable.

Now, in addition to Therese Freund, who is the new program director at River Bend, there's also Beverly Peterson, who has been on the job for about a month and is the new development director for the YWCA. Her job is to work with the program directors of the YWCA's initiatives. "I'll help them identify grants. I'll help them write," Peterson said. "What are my plans? Find money."

It has been several years since the organization had such a position. "We want to maximize resources," said Julie Craig, the board's corresponding secretary. With Peterson in place, she said, Freund's time wont' be completely absorbed by the effort to find money, and she can concentrate on the nature center's educational mission.

Freund, 31, in her third week at River Bend, most recently worked in Appleton at the Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve. Her move to southeastern Wisconsin occurred because her significant other took a job in Schaumburg, Ill. This will be her first job overseeing an entire operation, and she has her priorities set. The first is curriculum.

"We need to update and write programs that directly link to the curriculum being addressed in classrooms." That primarily means giving children hands-on experiences, she said. Programs haven't changed in many years. "We're going to get every child outside experiencing nature." She wants to attract more people to River Bend and arrange the main building so that entering visitors have an immediate understanding of what the center is about.

Combatting honeysuckle and buckthorn, non-native plants which are encroaching on the grounds, is another priority.

Also new at the center are: Valerie Mann, 27, a naturalist educator who most recently worked in Maryland but came to River Bend because home is Milwaukee; and Angeline Vercauteren, 31, a naturalist educator and volunteer coordinator who came from Newberg, for the opportunity to do different jobs, an opportunity that a smaller organization can provide.

The new staff gives the center more naturalist educators than have been present for some time, Craig said.

While there was a great deal of criticism of the YWCA following the departure of Pierce, Craig said that as a result a number of people contacted the YWCA and expressed support. That led quickly to a meeting with the board and supporters and then to the purchase of a new dishwasher for River Bend.

The previous leased model had been repossessed near the beginning of the heavily attended Pancake Sundays spring event. Support is still coming, Craig said. The center's new cabin will be painted for free by union workers, with all supplies donated.

The board is also not done hiring. Craig said members plan to have a new executive director in place Aug. 1.