Glenda Jones
After months of diligent woodworking, crafting and painting, and two weeks of intense bidding, the 2021 Birdhouse Blowout Auction has raised over $6500.00 for the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists’ Cliff Bennett Nature Bursary.
When organizers Barbara Carroll and Glenda Jones envisioned this event, they anticipated a few birdhouse builders might be interested. Little did they realize the enthusiasm they were stirring, when over 50 entries had materialized by April 9. Between the Humm, social media, TV coverage, and general community buzz, the event took off in spectacular fashion with two weeks of furious bidding on birdhouses beyond imagination.
The organizers along with the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists sincerely thank every creator for their thoughtful and generous gifts. All the entries were more than simple birdhouses; they were works of art in every medium from textiles to pottery, wood, plastics, and more. Entries poured in from kids and adults alike, proving that maybe this forced time of seclusion has fuelled creative genius.
An event like this couldn’t happen without the support of our incredible community. What began as an effort to fill the winter gap grew to embrace not only social media connections, but also the Humm, the Millstone News, local merchants, Carebridge Community Support, the Youth Centre, the Men’s Shed, the Hub, the Wild Birds Unlimited Kanata location, and Joel Haslam of CTV’s Regional Contact and others who shared our enthusiasm. .
Generous bidders have taken home prized pieces of local art as reminders of what a community working together can create. These birdhouses will bear witness for many years to the spring of 2021 when we invited the birds to come back and “stay at home” in the most beautiful houses anywhere.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED, WHO HELPED IN ANYWAY, AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ACQUIRED THESE INGENIOUS CREATIONS. OUR DREAM HAS BEEN FULFILLED IN SO MANY WAYS, MAKING OUR SEED OF AN IDEA GROW INTO A COMPLETE GARDEN OF INSPIRATION AND CREATIVITY.
