SPANISH FORT, Ala. — With almost 61,000 visitors logged in 2009, Five Rivers Delta Resource Center sits poised to expand its educational offerings in the new year and appeal more strongly to cash-strapped school systems clamoring for affordable, accessible field trip destinations.

“Overall attendance at the facility in 2009 was roughly equal to 2008, but the growth in the number of guided tours was substantial, particularly those targeting school kids. To me that’s where we’re really starting to hit home and work,” said Five Rivers Manager Hank Burch.

Indeed, the facility’s year-end report revealed 1,200 scheduled meetings and tours served 42,662 patrons, including 152 guided tours serving 6,168 people.

“That’s up more than 1,000 people on the guided tour side compared to last year, and I’m really proud of those numbers,” Burch said.

The facility partnered with city leaders to host Spanish Fort’s inaugural Delta Woods and Waters Expo in 2009 and are already preparing for the signature event’s second pass in late April. Five Rivers also held its first trick-or-treat spectacular on Halloween and participated in the first-ever South Alabama Independent Film Festival.

Closing out a year of firsts, Five Rivers also hosted its inaugural Holiday Celebration and Annual Kayak Flotilla.

In addition to marketing the facility as a manageable—and informative—day trip for Baldwin and Mobile county students, Burch said the staff is working furiously to expand its Saturday class offerings that in 2009 covered everything from plant and aquatic life to bats and the national Leave No Trace movement.

And barely two weeks into 2010, Assistant Manager Shonda Borden already has 18 “Saturday Adventure” classes on the calendar to meet increasing demand.

Throughout 2009, Five Rivers harvested an abandoned osprey nest now on display in the Apalachee Exhibit Hall; welcomed Loretta, a 7-month-old opossum; and added a variety of snakes, including a northern pine snake as well as adult and juvenile corn snakes.

“We’re trying to reach students and really instill a love of the outdoors in some of our younger visitors, so our test market to date has really been third- through fifth-graders, but we definitely want to expand our educational offerings and reach as broad an audience as possible,” Burch said.

For instance, a guided tour set to sail Jan. 31 will take a group of 20 to the nearby Bottle Creek Indian Mounds for a little hands-on exploration following an informative lecture by Five Rivers’ resident historian Kelly Cuhaj.

“Be willing to part with the shoes that you bring,” Burch said in all seriousness.

Because seating is limited, those interested should visit www.alabama5rivers.com, call (251) 625-0814 or find the facility on Facebook for details and pricing information.

For the second consecutive year, Five Rivers will also participate in Scale Back Alabama in 2010, pitting employees from two teams against each other as the state-sponsored program shifts its focus from outright weight loss to encouraging healthier lifestyle choices.