Raffle

CONGRATULATIONS Kevin Graff for winning the March Raffle!

Your financial support is essential to our work, and deeply appreciated. Our monthly raffle is one way that we generate funds to support educational programming, care and conservation of our collections, facility upkeep and improvements, and essential administrative tasks.

April Raffle: Fossil Hunt on a Private Beach

About Our Prize

April Raffle: Fossil Hunt on a Private Beach

This month’s raffle winner will receive a personalized, one‑day guided fossil hunt for a family of six on a restricted‑access private beach in Calvert County, Maryland. This shoreline is famous for its abundance of Miocene Calvert Formation fossils, especially shark teeth, marine shells, and whale fossils.

What to Expect

• We’ll provide directions and meet you on-site.
• Parking is limited on this private property, so the trip is limited to one vehicle.
• The adventure will take place on a mutually agreed-upon date in 2026, timed for low tide and good weather.
• Must be redeemed by November 30, 2026.
• You keep everything you find.
• And as a bonus, you’ll likely spot osprey and maybe even a bald eagle soaring overhead.

Expect a day that’s fun, educational, and full of discovery.

Meet Your Guides

Adrien Malick – Curator of the NHSM Fossil Collection and NHSM Board Member

Adrien is endlessly curious and deeply collaborative, drawing on the expertise of NHSM Fossil Club members and the wider community to bring Maryland’s deep past to life. He’s passionate about using the fossil collection to reach learners of all ages and backgrounds.

Adrien holds a Ph.D. in Immunology, has patents in immunoassays, an understanding spouse, four kids, a fossil collection of his own, and a mission to put real fossils into kids’ hands and watch the magic happen.

Nick Spero – NHSM Board Member and long‑time volunteer

Nick’s professional life revolved around insects, but his passion extends to everything outdoors. Depending on the day, he might guide you through identifying mushrooms, tasting sautéed daylilies, twisting plant fibers into rope, building a fire, touching frog eggs, or spotting wild edibles from a canoe.

“Nature has been my salvation so many times in my life. It makes me who I am. Now I enjoy sharing that love with others. To show someone something that initially scares them, like a Hickory Horned Devil, and then have them end up intrigued and enthralled. That’s magic.”

Nick fell in love with NHSM through its collections and expert talks. He thrives in a community of people who love nature and want to help others fall in love with it, too.

Raffle Information and Rules

1.    Your ticket purchase supports NHSM.

2. For every $5 ticket you buy, your name will be entered once (i.e., $5 = one entry, $10 = two entries, etc.)

3. The cut-off date to be entered is April 30, 2026, at noon.

4. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on the NHSM website and on social media on May 4, 2026. The winner will also be notified via email.

5. The prize is for specified items only. No substitutions.

6. NHSM officers, directors, and employees are ineligible to enter the raffle. Immediate family members of NHSM employees (defined as spouse, siblings, parents, and children) are also not eligible to enter or win. Any entry from an ineligible person is void.

7. Raffle ticket purchases do not qualify as tax-deductible contributions, per IRS Publication 526.

Our past winners were: