MONTEZUMA - The Montezuma Wildlife Refuge gift shop is open once again, offering a lot more than flocks of fake feathered friends to bargain hunters on Thanksgiving weekend.
In its ninth year of operation, according to Marcia Phillips, assistant store manager, the gift shop always includes a lot for nature lovers: books, toys, hats, T-shirts. nature-themed gifts, and hand-painted ornaments. She said there were about 100 customers visiting the shop on Friday.
George Sanderson, of Seneca Falls, in his first year as store manager, said, “It's a wonderful place to volunteer. Buyers can get items here at a bargain compared to other outlets, and all of the proceeds go back to the refuge. Friends of Montezuma manage the store,” he said.
This is the store's last weekend. It re-opens on April 1.
“We try to stress education and have many educational items on hand,” Sanderson said.
“We're trying to encourage parents and schools to look at our items for children.”
Besides toys with authentic bird sounds or hand-held devices with chirping birds and pictures, the center has books for children of all ages, with not only pictures of wildlife to color but also informational text.
Linda Tanchak, of Auburn, picked out a book on fossils. It was a gift to herself, she said, inspired by a rock dug up in her yard when the sewer was being repaired. “There were fossils all over it,” she said.
Many local artists provide unique gifts. John Simolo's Old Crow Pottery depicts shore birds on attractive plates and vases; and there are Gwen Frostic's note-paper prints; Cindy Sharpe's cards; and naturalist photographer Bruce Dayton's photographs.
“The camaraderie among our artists is just amazing,” Sanderson said.
“Most of their work is sold at bargain prices just for the giving. They are here to enjoy nature and give it out.”
Sanderson said a boy once came in with his nature photos and wanted to get into the business of selling his work.
Bruce Dayton, who works out of Cortland was happy to take the boy under his wing.
Jabebs earrings, made of 100 percent recyclable materials, include attractive bird designs made from old cereal boxes and recycled silver.
Laurel Callahan and her daughter, Amy, of Waterloo, were shopping for earrings.
“We're here to buy Christmas gifts,” Callahan said. “Our cousin in Massachusetts is an environmentalist and would have especially liked those recycled earrings.”
“Our grandma on Long Island really likes birds, too,” Amy Callahan said.
Lynn Frasier and Jim Bloom, from Easton, Pa., were just browsing after visiting family in Rochester for the holidays.
“We had never been in here before,” Frasier said. “We try to pick a different route every time we come through the Finger Lakes.”
Joe Cioffi of Newcastle, Pa., were browsing at the refuge gift shop with his two sons, Joseph, 14, and Matthew, 13.
They had been hunting Canadian geese in Tyre. “We've already caught 12 geese,” Cioffi said.
Hunters or those mainly interested in the refuge often visit the gift shop whose walls are decorated with stuffed animals, reflecting the bird population there.
The annual holiday sale continues today from noon to 4 p.m.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be contacted at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
George Sanderson, of Seneca Falls, in his first year as store manager, said, “It's a wonderful place to volunteer. Buyers can get items here at a bargain compared to other outlets, and all of the proceeds go back to the refuge. Friends of Montezuma manage the store,” he said.
This is the store's last weekend. It re-opens on April 1.
“We try to stress education and have many educational items on hand,” Sanderson said.
“We're trying to encourage parents and schools to look at our items for children.”
Besides toys with authentic bird sounds or hand-held devices with chirping birds and pictures, the center has books for children of all ages, with not only pictures of wildlife to color but also informational text.
Linda Tanchak, of Auburn, picked out a book on fossils. It was a gift to herself, she said, inspired by a rock dug up in her yard when the sewer was being repaired. “There were fossils all over it,” she said.
Many local artists provide unique gifts. John Simolo's Old Crow Pottery depicts shore birds on attractive plates and vases; and there are Gwen Frostic's note-paper prints; Cindy Sharpe's cards; and naturalist photographer Bruce Dayton's photographs.
“The camaraderie among our artists is just amazing,” Sanderson said.
“Most of their work is sold at bargain prices just for the giving. They are here to enjoy nature and give it out.”
Sanderson said a boy once came in with his nature photos and wanted to get into the business of selling his work.
Bruce Dayton, who works out of Cortland was happy to take the boy under his wing.
Jabebs earrings, made of 100 percent recyclable materials, include attractive bird designs made from old cereal boxes and recycled silver.
Laurel Callahan and her daughter, Amy, of Waterloo, were shopping for earrings.
“We're here to buy Christmas gifts,” Callahan said. “Our cousin in Massachusetts is an environmentalist and would have especially liked those recycled earrings.”
“Our grandma on Long Island really likes birds, too,” Amy Callahan said.
Lynn Frasier and Jim Bloom, from Easton, Pa., were just browsing after visiting family in Rochester for the holidays.
“We had never been in here before,” Frasier said. “We try to pick a different route every time we come through the Finger Lakes.”
Joe Cioffi of Newcastle, Pa., were browsing at the refuge gift shop with his two sons, Joseph, 14, and Matthew, 13.
They had been hunting Canadian geese in Tyre. “We've already caught 12 geese,” Cioffi said.
Hunters or those mainly interested in the refuge often visit the gift shop whose walls are decorated with stuffed animals, reflecting the bird population there.
The annual holiday sale continues today from noon to 4 p.m.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be contacted at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
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LastMinute wrote on Nov 25, 2007 2:26 PM: