It’s a scavenger hunt, of sorts. It’s also an historical adventure along a pathway of public art.
Launched in 2017, the Expand Your Wings Walking Tour in West Pelzer got an awareness boost this month with a proclamation designating February as National Bird Feeding Month in the town.
Additionally, new West Pelzer residents will now receive a welcome packet that includes a town brochure and flag, #GoWest swag, an Expand Your Wings Walking Tour brochure and a bag of bird seed, according to Town Clerk Paula Payton.
“Expand Your Wings is very much an ongoing program,” Payton said. “The proclamation gives greater attention locally to National Bird Feeding Month and to our Expand Your Wings Walking Tour.”
Established by ordinance as a bird sanctuary when it was founded as Frankville in 1913, and again in 1918 when it became West Pelzer, the Anderson County town promotes its sanctuary status with the Expand Your Wings Walking Tour that features 21 birdhouses placed on public and private property throughout the town. Birdhouses were provided by Anderson School District One Career and Technology Center and painted by West Pelzer Elementary School GoalPOST students.
Funded by a Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate Grant, the Expand Your Wings program is designed to highlight the vibrancy of a growing community and its connection to local bird species. The walking tour also draws attention to the accessibility of West Pelzer’s ADA-compliant sidewalks and encourages residents and visitors to take a walk and enjoy the aesthetics of the town, officials say.
West Pelzer extended its bird sanctuary brand in 2019 when residents went through the process to design a new town flag, according to Mayor Blake Sanders.
The orange band across the top of the flag represents the sun setting in the West. The blue band across the bottom is the Saluda River, which runs through neighboring Pelzer. The white strip down the middle of the flag represents Main Street as a major corridor for the Cherokee Indians to get to the river. Three birds on the flag represent the past, present and future, and the town’s designation as a bird sanctuary.
For more information on West Pelzer’s Expand Your Wings Walking Tour and to view a tour map, go HERE.
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 2021 AS NATIONAL BIRD FEEDING MONTH
WHEREAS, The Town of Frankville and Town of West Pelzer was established as a Bird Sanctuary by Ordinance by the Aldermen in 1913 and 1918; and,
WHEREAS, February is one of the most difficult months in the United States for wild birds, therefore it is recognized as National Bird-Feeding Month. During this month, individuals are encouraged to provide food, water, and shelter to help wild birds survive. This assistance benefits the environment by supplementing the wild bird’s natural diet of weed seeds and insects. Currently, one-third of the U.S. adult population feeds wild birds in their backyards; and
WHEREAS, In addition, backyard bird feeding is an entertaining, educational, and inexpensive pastime enjoyed by children and adults. Bird feeding provides a needed break from today’s frantic lifestyles. Adults enjoy the relaxation and peacefulness afforded by watching birds — nature serves to relieve the stress and can get one’s day going on a tranquil note; and
WHEREAS, Young children are naturally drawn to the activities involved in feeding wild birds, which can serve as excellent educational tools. Children can identify different species of birds with a field guide and can learn about the birds’ feeding and living habits. These observations can then provide excellent research opportunities for school projects and reports; and
WHEREAS, Feeding wild birds in the backyard is an easy hobby to start and need not overtax the family budget. It can be as simple as mounting a single feeder outside a window and filling it with bird seed mix. For many people, the hobby progresses from there. They discover the relationship between the type and location of feeders, and the seeds offered in them, and the number and varieties of birds attracted. Parents can challenge an inquisitive child’s mind as they explore together these factors in trying to encourage; and
NOW, THEREORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and City Council this 16th day of February, 2021, that the Town of West Pelzer is hereby designating February as National Bird Feeding Month; and,
Thus proclaimed and adopted on February 16, 2021.
