Audubon Auction a Success

There were 37 winning bids in Skidaway Audubon’s first-ever auction of nature-themed yard art, but the island’s bluebirds, butterflies, bats, and turtles were the real winners.

The auction, held May 18-24, raised more than $3,200, which will help fund Skidaway Audubon’s Diamondback Turtle Rescue Program, the Dave Scott Bluebird Trail, bat houses to help reduce mosquito populations, Sparrow Field, and our newest initiative, the Monarch Butterfly Trail.

The all-wood, locally-made, yard art pieces originally were to be part of the festivities at Skidaway Audubon’s annual golf tournament. The tournament traditionally has been Audubon’s big fundraiser of the year. When that event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the online auction became the organization’s Plan B.

“We’re so grateful to our wonderful community for their strong support of our first-ever auction,” said Skidaway Audubon President Carolyn McInerney. “Our sincere thanks to everyone who participated. Their generous spirit certainly helps us financially, and I think it also reflects the stewardship we all feel for our beautiful island environment.”

All 14 fanciful representations of butterflies, all 10 colorful bluebirds, six large 3-D turtles, four smaller turtles, one large bat, and two small bats were sold in the online auction. Each figure was hand-painted and crafted on Skidaway Island by Vince and Dawn Cordo, with a little help from volunteers.

“The response was wonderful. We had winners come and pick up their yard art and tell us they wish they had bid on more pieces after seeing all of them in person,” said Dawn Cordo. “We also had very generous winners who gave more than they bid, and amazing residents who made donations without winning anything. It was heartwarming to see such overwhelming support for our programs.”

Five large bats and four small bats still are available. Ranging in size from 16-to-33 inches, they are coated in polyurethane for indoor or outdoor use and make a great addition to Halloween displays. If interested, please contact us via our website (skidawayaudubon.org) and make an offer.

Skidaway Audubon is an all-volunteer nonprofit that maintains the largest network of bluebird houses in the Southeast, the largest Diamondback Terrapin rescue project in the Southeast, a state-of-the-art bird cam, an invasive tree removal program, a garden to help reverse the worldwide loss of pollinating insects, bat houses to reduce mosquito populations, weather stations to promote water saving irrigation practices, and a trail of flowering plants to attract the vanishing monarch butterflies and other pollinators. It also offers educational programs such as the popular raptor presentation. Membership in Skidaway Audubon is just $35 a year, available through Friends of Skidaway Audubon.

To join, or for more information, visit skidawayaudubon.org. For more information, email  friendsofskidawayaudubon@gmail.com.

 

 

Nancy McGirr picks up her locally-crafted bluebird, as one of the winning bidders in Skidaway Audubon’s yard art auction held in May.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jean Deitsch (left) who heads Skidaway Audubon’s bat house project, and Sandra Haeger (right) display the bats they won in Audubon’s yard art auction. Additional bats, perfect for Halloween, still are available. If interested, contact skidawayaudubon.org and make an offer.