GULFPORT, Fla. – After dropping off an injured bird at the Birds in Helping Hands rehab facility in Pinellas County, art gallery owner Brenda McMahon had a light-bulb moment.
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McMahon wanted to showcase an exhibition of avian artistry to benefit the non-profit.
Art with an avian purpose
What we know:
“One of my driving forces behind the gallery is to be part of the community and to really raise awareness for whatever it is we’re thinking of,” McMahon said.
“For the Birds, An Artful Fundraiser” is the product of that early spark. After reaching out to the local artist community, sixty pieces are currently on display at the Brenda McMahon Gallery in Gulfport. A percentage of sales will go directly to Birds in Helping Hands, the non-profit helping injured birds and wildlife since 2017.
Funding the Road to Recovery
What they’re saying:
Caring for injured birds requires specialized resources, precise diets, and constant attention.
“Rehabbers, it’s not like they can just give them food or whatever,” Denise Mosley, co-founder of Birds in Helping Hands, said. “You have to give them a certain kind of thing for them to rehab and for them to actually thrive again.”
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The non-profit relies on a dedicated network of about seven volunteer bird rehabilitators. Among them are Marty and Mary Lisan, who have answered the call of wildlife rehabilitation for the past 25 years.
Courtesy: Mary & Marty Lisan
“We do try to save as many as we can,” Marty Lisan said. “If a majority of them live, we feel like we’ve done our job.”
The husband-and-wife team rehabbed around 1,200 birds last year and are on pace for another 1,200 this year. For the volunteers, the ultimate goal makes every effort worthwhile.
“The whole thing is the release,” Mary Lisan said. “That is the biggest reward, if you can release a bird and have it survive in the world.”
Soaring Ahead
What’s next:
The exhibition will remain on display at the Brenda McMahon Gallery through the end of August. So far, around half of the 60 art pieces have been sold.
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