Bird Endowment -- Saving Blue-throated Macaws at The Blues Conservatory

Friday night at AFA
the HOT spot was
BE's 10th anny celebration

BE friend Jodi Luce made this sign for our annual AFA Convention "Thank You" reception for our supporters.

Mark Moore again handled a very lively night of auctioneering chores at the
BE reception.

At the special auction that night, Linda Nichelmann bought the original watercolor by John Brasaemle of "Jake Blues". Brent Gattis purchased the signed artist proof of "Etta James" by Arlene Powers -- and donated it back. Katy Secor then bought it. Proceeds benefit the 501(c)(3) nonprofit's Saving the Blues conservation projects for Blue-throated Macaws in Texas and Bolivia. From left are Linda, Brent, Laney and Katy.

At the BE reception Bennett Hennessey drew the door-prize winners while Laney held the box. Bennett, executive director of Bolivian NGO Asociación Armonía, was sponsored by Bird Endowment for four presentations about different in situ conservation projects, including progress on "Saving the Blue-throated Macaw Ara glaucogularis: A Species Recovery Plan."

Drawings were held for great door prizes at the reception. Above, Matthew Hair (with Laney) won the Canon PowerShot SD750 Digital Elph camera.

Gamini Ratnavira examines the door prize he won, a beautiful coffee table book Rainforest by Thomas Marent.

Bennett Hennessey watches as Laney presents Katy Secor with the certificate for new Nido Adoptivo nestbox she won as a door prize. Katy's doorprize box will be installed in Armonia's new BTM reserve in Bolivia.

THANK YOU
for participating in our 2008 AFA Raffle.

To the lucky winners, we say congratulations.
And to those who didn't take home a prize,
you are still winners to us for helping BE in
Saving the Blues.

$2,500 worth of PVC toys from Bird Toys Etc.
(with free shipping)
Won by Sharman M. Hoppes, DVM Professor Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine for the birds at the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center

From left, Jeff Wasserman of Bird Toys Etc., Laney Rickman of BE, Dr. Ian Tizard Director of the Schubot Exotic BIrd Health Center, Dr. Sharman Hoppes Professor Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine.

Original Painting by Gamini Ratnavira (left)
Won by Eva Dicker of California.

Eva was one of the many raffle participants to buy her tickets over the internet, knowing she would not be present at the convention.

Original Fine Art print by renowned French
photo-journalist Roland Seitre.

Winner Kelly Williams of Pennsylvania seems pleased with her matted and custom-framed art photograph showing a successful nest box in BE's Nido Adoptivo project in Bolivia.

Imported Flemish Tapestry from Brugge, Belgium

Won by Rockie Mooney (right) of California, displaying his Scarlet Macaw hanging with help from son Nick.

Jim and Ginger Payant of Utah won Arlene Powers' original water color of the "icy Miss Etta James" (she was a chick in the nest box when an unusual ice storm hit The Blues Conservatory in January of 2007).

Bonus Prize for most raffle tickets

Daina Mahone of Texas won the Bonus Prize for buying the most raffle tickets. Diane Bock is shown working at BE's booth -- behind the assortment of bird toys and champagne that Daina won.