Community News

Heart of the Community Project

Moose Lodge initiative ‘for the birds’ and birders

Submitted to Mason County Extra Edition

POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Point Pleasant Moose Lodge #731 recently collected over 200 pounds of bird seed, suet, hummingbird feeders, and food for distribution to local nursing homes. Several homemade bird houses were also among the donations.

Four people stand behind bags of bird seed and other birding supplies.
Pictured delivering bird seed and other donations for local nursing homes are Dave Morgan, Jessica Richardson, activities director, Dena Fry, Nickki Hunt and Randy Wright, administrator at Overbrook. (Photo courtesy Dave Morgan)

According to a news release from the Lodge, the idea evolved from Nickki Hunt, Moose Lodge #731 administrator, who visits several friends and family at a local nursing home.

“I observed many of the patients looking out their windows and watching the birds,” she stated. “Why don’t we donate some bird seed to them?”

A park bench beneath trees in a space to watch birds.
A “bird park” at Overbrook Rehabilitation Center in Middleport, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Dave Morgan)

Overbrook Rehabilitation Center in Middleport, Ohio has numerous bird feeders along the backside of the nursing home within in view of patient’s rooms. The facility also has another small “bird park” complete with a glider, bird houses and hummingbird feeders for patients’ outdoor enjoyment, stated the news release.

The same was true at Abbyshire Place in Bidwell, Ohio and according to administrator Jeremy Long the timing of the delivery couldn’t have been better.

“We are getting ready to upgrade our back patio and this will help greatly with our future plans for this area,” he stated via the news release.

Four people stand with bird seed and other supplies.
Pictured are Jeremy Long, administrator at Abbyshire Place, Dave Morgan, Dena Fry and Duke Armantrout, Moose Lodge members, delivering bird seed and other bird watching supplies for residents. (Photo by Clarrissa Gardner and submitted by Dave Morgan.)

The Lodge purchased a hummingbird feeder to add to their already existing bird feeders as well as a suet holder.

Several members of the lodge helped deliver the donations, in addition to spending time with patients. A former Moose member is currently staying at Abbyshire Place and Lodge Member Duke Armantrout stopped on the way and bought him his favorite milk shake (peanut butter) and members visited with him. Lodge Members Dena Fry and Hunt also visited with some friends and relatives at Overbrook.

The backside of a rehabilitation center with bird feeders.
Bird feeders set up at Overbrook Rehabilitation Center. (Photo courtesy Dave Morgan)

Lodge members briefly discussed having another nursing home bingo day which was a tremendous success a couple years ago, stated the news release. Three facilities attended and all the patients went home with prizes.

For more information on Moose Lodge #731, follow them here on Facebook.

This news release submitted by Dave Morgan on behalf of Point Pleasant Moose Lodge #731.

(Editor’s Note on accessibility: Mason County Extra Edition attempts to use accessible fonts and alternative text for photographs, to be inclusive of all readers.)

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