CNC Celebrates Groundbreaking for New Volunteer Operations Center

Roswell, GA. – Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving as a leader in environmental education, as well as the conservation and rehabilitation of native plant and wildlife surrounding the Chattahoochee River, metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia, today announced a substantial donation to enhance its volunteer experience, marking the first major project for the nature center from its Growing Tomorrow’s Nature Enthusiast capital campaign. The donation from former board member Tony Parker and his wife Elieen will help to fund building the Parker House, a new volunteer operations center that will serve as a premier training and educational space for the nature center’s annual volunteers.

Natasha Rice, chief executive officer of Chattahoochee Nature Center, said, “Thanks to the Parkers’ generous support, a new volunteer operations center will be constructed to ensure that the thousands of CNC volunteers receive the necessary resources to stay safe and healthy while working on projects in the greenhouses and the Unity Garden.”

As longtime supporters of CNC, the Parkers have been proud members for more than 40 of its nearly 50 years. When they learned about the need for a dedicated space to support volunteers and the nature center’s continued growth, they knew exactly how they wanted to make a difference with their donation.

“We saw this project as a great opportunity to give back to a place that has given us so much,” said Tony Parker during his speech at the groundbreaking. “We’re proud to be involved with this new operations center, which once completed, will provide CNC’s staff with additional office and storage space, as well as the much-needed break room for all the Unity Garden volunteers to utilize and enjoy for many years to come.”

Heading into its 50th year in 2026, CNC is utilizing the Growing Tomorrow’s Nature Enthusiast capital campaign to invest in its continued future as a leader in conservation, rehabilitation and education of wildlife within metro Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River. The investments from donors and members to this capital campaign will allow the nature center to implement improvements that will support the center for its next 50 years. These updates will better equip the nature center to expand its educational reach, granting an even greater impact on children and adults for years to come.