Happy Saturday, friends!
Last Saturday we got to be a part of something super cool and exciting, so I wanted to share it with you. I would like to introduce you to someone special…
Meet Bird
Bird is a broad-winged hawk that Lisa found in her yard last August. She could tell right away that he was hurt and called the Carolina Raptor Center (CRC). It turned out that he had a broken wing. The CRC took him in and nursed him back to health. Unfortunately, while he was there he broke his foot and had to have surgery. Talk about a run of bad luck!
Did you know that birds have hollow bones? I didn’t either. Lisa told me.
Lisa named him Bird.
She’s creative like that.
Let me give you the 411 on Lisa’s connection with CRC. The short version is that we’re members of a home brew club – The Carolina BrewMasters (CBM). Every year (for the last 15 years) CBM hosts the Charlotte Oktoberfest, which raises money for charity by drinking beer. In Lisa’s words, how cool is that? Lisa was in charge of planning Oktoberfest in 2011 and CRC was one of the 3 charities that each received $20,000 from CBM.
So Lisa kept track of Bird’s recovery on the CRC’s website and decided early on that she wanted to make a big deal about his release. They usually like to release the birds back into the wild in the same location where they were found – except when the reason they were taken to the CRC was a gunshot. Makes sense to me.
I can’t remember when Bird was originally supposed to be released, but it was some time in the winter and all his peeps were in Florida – broad-tailed hawks migrate. Yeah, I didn’t know that either. But then he broke his leg and his release was delayed.
So the timing worked out for Lisa to make a big deal. And let’s be real here. We can always find a reason to throw a party, brew beer, drink beer, and raise money for charity.
So Lisa organized a brew session fundraiser sponsored by CBM and invited her friends, BrewMasters, and all the neighborhood families.
That’s Lisa on the left. Michelle from CRC packed Bird up in a box and brought him to Lisa’s house. Michelle gave a presentation about raptors.
There was a 50/50 raffle. A little girl won and donated half of her prize back to CRC.
Lisa collected beer donations and put together a basket for another raffle.
That’s our friend Josh. He’s so happy because he won the beer.
Amy pulled the lucky ticket.
Lisa brewed a Dandelion IPA.
She used Dandelion Greens to bitter. They’re good for your liver, so she brewed a preventive and healthy beer.
She even had a beer and Girl Scout Cookie pairing.
That’s the reporter dude from the Charlotte Observer. You can read all about it and watch the video of Bird’s release here.
Do you want to know why Lisa named him Bird?
Because now he’s Freebird.
She’s clever like that.
Release day IPA!
Heck yeah!!!
Wow! What an amazing story! Loved all of it, especially releasing Bird back into the wild! I hope he sticks around so you can see him from time to time! Sounds like a great fund raiser…but dandelion IPA? Hmmmm….I guess I’d have to actually try it to see if it was any good.
He is still around, Kathy. Lisa has seen him a few times. And I’m not a huge IPA fan, but I can tell you that all of Lisa’s beer is excellent – even the IPA’s!
What a great post! I love birds and love reading stories like this. It always tears me up when they are released back into the wild. What a great fundraiser, it looks like it was such a great time 🙂
Thanks so much Keri! It was awesome to be able to get to see it live and we definitely had a terrific time!
Such a pretty bird! Love the beer and girl scout cookie pairing!
Thanks girl! That part was definitely a highlight!
What a great story! I like birds, watching them, this is so much fun. I wish you all the best.
Thanks Cecilia! It was so amazing to be a part of it!
Wow, very cool that you did that!
Totally cool, Mir!
Such a great post ! Glad Bird is doing ok!
Thanks Mira! Lisa has seen him a few times, so he seems to be just fine!
Aaw what a great story! So glad to hear Bird is now free and doing okay!
Thanks Kelly! Me too!
That’s so cool! loved reading this post! 🙂
Thanks so much Manali!
Hi Rachelle! Thanks for visiting Veganosity so I could discover your wonderful blog. 🙂
This is an awesome story. Lisa is a cool chick. Get it, bird-chick? Lame, I know.
This is a great story to have read on Earth Day, thank you for sharing it.
Hi Linda! I’m so happy I discovered your blog too! I used to be a vegan and still love fun and delicious plant based food. I do get it! LOL! Lisa certainly is one cool chick. Happy Earth Day!