Nature Center gift

YOUNGSTOWN

The Florence Simon Beecher and John D. Finnegan foundations contributed $500,000 toward the $3 million campaign to renovate the Ford Nature Center at Mill Creek MetroParks, the MetroParks announced in a news release Friday.

The campaign is raising money to renovate the carriage house on the nature center’s property, 840 Old Furnace Road.

So far, the campaign has raised $1 million of its $3 million goal. The Sand Hill Foundation of Menlo Park, Calif., has offered a challenge grant that will match new donations raised after Nov. 1 up to $1 million.