Four Tides Hospice Society has a fundraising project that is for the birds.
The hospice society has tasked a number of builders and artists to create 41 birdhouses that will be up for silent auction from March 5 to 9, between 2 and 6 pm, at qathet Art Centre. Funds raised will go toward planting sanctuary gardens at the Four Tides hospice house when it is built.
Four Tides vice-president Maureen Tierney said the idea germinated from a similar project she had been involved in on Hornby Island, where artists would decorate bird houses each year.
The decision to embark on the local birdhouse project was made almost a year ago.
“We approached some builders,” said Tierney. “At first we were going to job sites, asking builders if they could build birdhouses for us. That was difficult because, of course, they are so busy right now.
“I have a friend who is a retired builder who said we should be asking retired guys to do the building. So, we ended up having 19 builders who built 41 birdhouses. We offered to send them all plans and they said they didn’t need them. They came back with the most amazing birdhouses.”
Tierney said the hospice society knew it would have to give the builders a few months, so the project evolved. Then came the idea to decorate the birdhouses so Tierney’s associate, who goes by the name Brownie, reached out to artists in town and they stepped up right away. In all, 28 talented artists helped to complete the birdhouses.
Tierney said the original plan was to have 20 birdhouses built, but through the enthusiasm of the community members who participated in the project, the hospice society ended up doing more than double that amount.
Tierney is hoping that the community responds to the invitation to view the birdhouses, and hopefully, to make bids on them.
“We hope people are generous,” said Tierney. “We have many people who donate to Four Tides Hospice Society, but with this project, they are getting something in return.
“Some may end up being on display in people’s houses and patios, some will be up in a tree.”
Tierney said there are some incredibly talented people who live in the region, so the hospice society is very lucky that so many of them wanted to be part of the project.
“They feel passionate about it,” said Tierney.
She said one of the participants, who was originally from the United States, had a mother who had been well taken care of in a hospice in America, so he wanted to give back in some way.
“When he heard about this project, he thought he could do it here in this community,” said Tierney.
She said the plans for the funds are to go toward creating gardens at the hospice facility when it is built. She said the plan is to have a patio with a garden outside each room so people in the hospice will be able to enjoy being taken outside.
“We’re going to create what we call sanctuary gardens so that’s what the birdhouse project will allow us to do,” said Tierney.
She said that recently, the garden club and garden tour committee approached her to say they would like to make a donation.
“They have money in the bank and they were looking to donate it,” said Tierney. “When they heard about this project, they wanted to donate it to the hospice for the gardens. They also said they wanted to do more and that they would like to be involved in the sanctuary gardens. They have master gardeners, and they are excited about being able to be hands-on with the project.”
On the Four Tides Hospice Society website, fourtideshospice.org, on the homepage under news there is an item called Whimsical Birdhouses Silent Auction Fundraiser, which will lead readers to a YouTube video featuring all the birdhouses. Tierney encouraged readers to check out the fabulous construction and art.
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