What a fantastic time was had by all at NPRPF Parrot Festival January 27 - 30, 2022 in Houston, Texas! A big THANK YOU to everyone who supported Bird Endowment and helped raise a grand total of over $15,000 for our efforts to save the Blue-throated Macaw from extinction in its endemic range in Bolivia on the Laney Rickman Reserve! An amazing 35 Nido Adoptivo nest boxes were sponsored for the 2022–2023 breeding season for this critically endangered bird. What a fantastic way to celebrate the 15th anniversary of when my late sister Laney started this very special project with Asociación Armonía PLUS the wonderful milestone of the 100th Blue-throated Macaw chick fledged in 2021!
Bird Endowment held a raffle with great prizes including a sequined “Rio Parrot” Kate Spade purse, beautiful parrot scarves, and matted photos by the late Laney Rickman. Many thanks to Kim Hatch/Chirp Merch, Jodie Olmos/Kiko’s Toy Chest, Apryle Craig/ParrotJOY, Nancy Marbach/Boomzookee Bird Toys, Robin Sullivan/The Leather Elves and Susanne Cochran/Avalon Aviary for donating gift certificates! So grateful to Sarah Wymer for the autographed copy of her “Chicken Thoughts” book, Jan Schlottenloher for the beautiful African parrot stamps, and Amanda Hoffman for her gorgeous photos of eagles and ospreys.
In addition, Bird Endowment joyfully sponsored the “Party in Parrot-dise” event on Friday evening during which we had a very successful auction raising over $6,000 for our new habitat restoration project on the Laney Rickman Reserve! Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to our auction winners of amazing art and photographic works by Daniel Alarcón, Bob Rinsem, Bernard Scott, Kitty Harvill, Ray Varella, Rodrigo Soria, Bennett Hennessey, and Amanda Hoffman. We are so grateful to these artists and to Tony Silva for donating an autographed copy of his Macaws book, Peter Osvaldik and Dynasty Cellars for “Red for the Blues” wine with the gorgeous Blue-throated Macaw label, Buddy Waskey for the fabulous framed Colombian poster, and Jodie Olmos of Kinko’s Toy Chest for donating the gorgeous Blue-throated Macaw necklace handcrafted by Dawn Lucero!
At the party, Bird Endowment and Quaker Parakeet Society co-hosted a digital photo booth at which folks could have their picture taken with some amazing parrots! Special thanks to Kim Hatch and Debbie Schweikardt of Birds Out Loud as well as Buddy Waskey and Amanda Hoffman for bringing these special guests which were the highlight of the party.
I am truly grateful to NPRPF for the wonderful, long-time support to my late sister Laney, and now to me as I have stepped up as the new President / Executive Director of Bird Endowment. I look forward to many years of working together as we continue our mission of “Saving the Blues!”
------- Dorothy Paterson
February 6, 2022
