On Wednesday, June 12, the FiftyForward Martin Center officially opened its newest amenity – the Leadership Brentwood Bird Sanctuary.
“Thank you for all you have done to create this beautiful bird sanctuary so we can view all the wonderful birds in our community that fly by the Martin Center,” Sharie Loik, the center’s director, said.
The bird sanctuary was developed and installed by a team of volunteers – Charles Booth, Phil Clark, Jeff Earwood, Lisa Humphres, Shawn Humphrey, Philip Leach, and Hannah Shellnut – from the Leadership Brentwood Class of 2024. Every year Leadership Brentwood, the nonprofit arm of the Williamson, Inc. Chamber of Commerce, brings together 20 community leaders for a nine-month program that culminates in three community-service projects.
The group, calling themselves Team 24/7, developed the project because the FiftyForward Martin Center already provides innovative programs and services for senior adults, including exercise classes, book clubs, art classes and educational classes. The bird sanctuary, located next to the building’s back patio, provides another activity for center members. It is also viewable from an interior room if participants are unable to make it outside.
Earlier this spring, the Team 24/7 installed native shrubs and perennials that attract birds. These include Maple Leaf Viburnum, Northern Spice Bush, Paw Paw, Black-Eyed Susans, and Woodland Phlox. Bird baths and bird feeders were added, and the Habitat Connection, a local non-profit focused on ecosystem health, declared the space a certified bird sanctuary.
Team 24/7 reached out to several sponsors for help with supplies and materials, and they raised enough money to also purchase six sets of Occer binoculars, specifically designed for bird watching, and several visual guides on Tennessee birds. The sponsors include First Horizon Bank, Mercy Community Healthcare, Halifax Hospitality, BL Harbert International, TMPartners, and Shellnut Insurance and Associates.
The sponsors were so generous in their support that the Leadership Brentwood Team is also donating an additional $2,100 to the Center for programming needs.
“Of all the projects I’ve seen on the grounds of the center over the past 12 years, this is the most impressive as it will involve numerous members and be educational and exciting,” David and Priscilla Lee, grounds volunteers at the Center, said. “There will be many smiles inside those viewing windows in the future!”
For more information on the Center, visit https://fiftyforward.org/locations/martin-center/. For information on Leadership Brentwood, visit www.leadershipbrentwood.com.
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