This One is for The Birds, Walter, and Marlin...

I remember the "good old days" where we were lucky to have two (sometimes three or four depending on the weather!) TV channels for entertainment. 

In some ways, I think that made my childhood more blessed than today's children. I had two choices. 

#1. Watch what was on and learn to like it.

#2. Go outside and/or play in my room. 

One show that always caught my attention was Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins. That show was my window to the world before there was such a thing as the world wide web. The minute that opening came on, my attention was captured. 

The cool thing (I thought!) was Marlin was a Missouri boy. He was from my home state. Watching him, I knew anything was possible. I could go anywhere and be anyone I wanted to be. 

Marlin Perkins

Marlin instilled a love for animals, a desire to travel, and the belief all things were possible within me. I was not alone. He impacted many people, including Walter Crawford. 

Walter Crawford

Walter's specialty was birds, and thanks to Walter's love of birds with some serious support from Marlin, the World Bird Sanctuary took shape. This gem is close enough to where I live that they often do presentations for children of all ages. 

World Bird Sanctuary presentation at Robertsville State Park- June 2014.

In June, Robertsville State Park was hosting a Birds of Prey presentation by the World Bird Sanctuary and I was excited about attending. My friend Tyann and her son met my daughter and I. We were in for a real treat!

We learned so much about the birds and what the World Bird Sanctuary does, that I really want to go visit it this fall. It was an amazing presentation. What they do to assist birds and educate the public is astounding. They for sure are an organization that restores my faith in humanity. 

On a sad note, I was shocked that about one month after Tyann, myself, and the kids enjoyed the presentation I heard Walter Crawford died from complications after surgery. 

Walter, thanks to support and assistance from Marlin, built a legacy that will carry on in his name. The World Bird Sanctuary is a true testiment to the values that I personally learned from watching Marlin Perkins as a child...the same values that Walter Crawford encorporated into his life's work at the World Bird Sanctuary.

Thank you, Walter and Marlin, for all you have done. 

Learn more about World Bird Sanctuary here: http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org

Until next time,

~ M of MK Designs

July 2015