OK! I have to share this with you. I have been woefully absent from the birdie world for about 2 years now. I took on several jobs to clear my debt load incurred during the "economic downturn" which ate my one-man company and had me scurrying to make ends meet. As of late I am pursuing my passion in teaching environmental science at several colleges and the career transition over the last two months has been a bit overwhelming. Basically, my new goal is to spend time with my wife.
Why am I telling you this in the auspicies of a MOU Birdie Booth plug? It is because I would give anything to be able to be gifted with a 4 hour window to share my passion and love of birds with kids, families, aspiring birders, and those that just have to share their birding stories. There is absolutely nothing that compares with simply being in a space where people with budding or blooming passion for birds actually come to me to engage in a bird conversation. There is nothing greater than perhaps, just perhaps, connecting with a kid, a child, a teen, drawn to the booth by the clicking sounds of the birdie Wheel O' Fortune, and sharing a picture, a story or a thought that could totally change the kid's life forever toward a passion for birding! I figure one reason why you haven't signed up for a shift at the MOU's Birds R'Us booth this year might be that you don't think you have the experience, or knowledge, or presence to sign up. Perhaps you think that it is a great responsibility and you couldn't possibly be considered as a volunteer and make such a difference. Let me clarify, that after perhaps a dozen shifts a year over the last 10 years (not counting my last 2 of course), knowledge, experience and presence don't really make the difference at the booth. Odds are, at least one of the volunteers per shift will have more or less of it than you! But what really makes the difference, what really makes a kid's eye widen, what sticks with a fair goer after a brief visit to the booth, is the passion for birds of the volunteers at the booth. It is our passion that drives us in pursuing seeing a single bird, investing in bird seed to fill our feeders, to clean up piles of empty sunflower seed hulls, to clear our bird baths, get sticky hands putting up suet, and gives us "binocluar eyes" from hours of looking at the amazing feathered beasties that have stolen our hearts and feed our souls. And it is this insane passion that you have the opportunity to share at the fair simply by saying yes and going for it. This year, at this late date, there a many shift openings across a wide ranging time frame and pick of days. I say go for it! Sign up for one of the shifts, get in free, eat fair food, see the sights, but more importantly, share you passion of birds with someone. Let them know that not all birds a brown and chirpy. Show a kid or a parent a picture of your favorite warbler from a book at the booth. Tell a story of birding adventure. Listen to someone's story of their birdie experiences. All that is required to participate is to love birds! We can all do that. Please look over the list of openings below and contact either Jen or Kate. These two are your vehicle to making a difference with someone. All you have to do is be willing and say you will. This year, this fair, make a difference with someone. You actions will definitely make a difference for you and create a life experience you will be able to share with others for years. Sincerely Thomas Maiello Maple Grove On Aug 20, 2013, at 6:36 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Thank you everyone for your resounding support. > > There are now only eleven shifts left open for the MOU booth at the fair. > We have terrific full color bird book marks to give to kids. > And some MOU bird checklists for interested adults. > > If you can fill any of these shifts please contact me or Kate directly and > we'll sign you up. > > 8/23 5-9 TWO > 8/24 1-5 with Rick Hoyme > 8/24 5-9 with Bill Tefft > 8/26 5-9 TWO > 8/27 5-9 with Sue Keator > 8/30 9-1 with Sue Keator > 8/30 1-5 with Dick Sandve > 8/31 1-5 with Gordon Andersson > 9/1 5-9 with Bill Tefft > > Thank you & see you at the fair- > > Jen Vieth & Kate Kelnberger > > [email protected]_ > (mailto:[email protected]) > [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
