Stone Harbor Sanctuary Event ‘For the Birds’ Conjures Crowds, Funds, Awareness

STONE HARBOR – Over 250 guests enjoyed an evening of hors d’oeuvres and music June 13 to honor the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and raise funds and awareness of the local wildlife refuge.
Funds raised by the ‘For the Birds’ event at 325 96th Street on the bay will go towards general ongoing sanctuary rejuvenation. Later this month, nine new gardens will be planted and Holly Path, leading to a 300-year-old Holly tree, will open.
Members of Duffield Associates, geo-science consultants who worked on the sanctuary, attended the event to show of support and displayed maps of the new sanctuary design.
“We have to concentrate on what we can control. There are so many factors concerning the behavior of the birds that we cannot control, but we can provide an enticing welcoming habitat,” Senior Consultant James Eisenhardt said.
Pedestrians were drawn to the canopy tent in the center of town with music by smooth jazz band The Eddie Morgan Trio that echoed down 96th Street.
Wine and beer along with hors d’oeuvres from about 15 local restaurants were served.
Area restaurants including Quahog’s Seafood Shack, Blackfish Restaurant, Solé Restaurant, Stone Harbor Yacht Club, Nemo’s Family Restaurant, Windrift Restaurant and Yvette’s Cafe donated munchies.
Attendees won door prizes including bird sanctuary hats and T-shirts. Norm and Marge Parks won a 14 carat gold sanctuary bracelet valued at $1,700 that was donated by Larry Hanker of Neptune’s Jewels.
Bird Sanctuary Advisory Committee member Bill Lauth, who owns Pete Smith’s Surf Shop, designed shirts. Over 70 T-shirts were sold with all proceeds going towards the refuge.
Professional lighting by Morgan Harris illuminated an event tent to appear as though it were in a canopy of trees. Bekki and Andrew Cheatham of Andrew’s Landscaping provided plants.
Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck@cmcherald.com.