Auction to benefit WSU birds of prey club

From staff reports

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, yea it’s a bird.

The WSU Raptor Club is holding its Mom’s Weekend auction on Saturday to help raise money and awareness for the birds of prey the club looks after.

Be on the look out for some ruffled feathers, because the birds will be out for the entire auction.

Kimberly Van Horn, Raptor Club public relations officer, said the club will auction off everything from gift cards to your favorite local restaurants such as the Black Cypress, artwork made by the club’s birds and even a handmade owl quilt.

The choice of a fundraiser was an easy one for the club to make.

“The competitiveness that comes with an auction gives the incentive for people to donate even more,” Van Horn said, “and it all goes to a great cause.”

The WSU Raptor Club is a non-profit organization run on public donations, so all proceeds from the auction will go toward food and medical care of the 11 birds in the club’s care. All of the birds will be out on display during the auction, so moms can expect to get some face time with the animals their donations help.

“We hope that being able to see these birds up close will inspire generations of people to want to protect raptor species in the future,” Van Horn said.

Between the dozens of items up for bid and the birds of prey available for pictures, club members will also be on-hand to help and answer any questions auction-goers might have about raptors, Van Horn said.

“Our members are very knowledgeable about the birds,” Van Horn said, “and love to answer any questions you may have.”

The club will also offer free guided tours of its facilities on Sunday from 10 – 11 a.m. and 12 – 1 p.m., to show where the birds live and how the club takes care of them, Van Horn said.

The silent auction will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Center for Undergraduate Education in Room 219.

Reporting by Kaia Johnson