By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey
When the weather outside is frightful, you can hunker down inside your home. Unfortunately, our feathered friends outside aren’t that lucky. But, if you’re willing to put in a little imagination and effort, you can build a cozy cottage to shelter some chilly chirpers and earn some cold cash and prizes for yourself in
Hershey Gardens’ “For the Birds” contest.
Simply design or construct a birdhouse, download and fill out the official entry form from the Hershey Gardens
Web site and bring both to the Hershey Gardens gift shop sometime between Friday and Sunday, March 26 and 28, 2010. There is a $25 entry fee, which includes one complimentary regular admission to Hershey Gardens. The contest is open to birdhouse builders ages five through adult and will be judged in age-appropriate categories. Your creation can be functional (i.e. made for birds to actually live in), fun (i.e. whimsical and made to be decorative) or — best of all — both. There’s even a separate category for “green” houses (i.e. made from recycled and/or natural materials).
You can build you own house from scratch or purchase a pre-constructed, unfinished one. Be careful to use only bird-friendly materials and avoid potentially toxic materials such as treated woods, glues or paints. All entries must be durable enough to withstand the outdoor elements.
First-place cash and prizes will be awarded in three categories. All of the first-place winners will receive $100 plus a one-year family membership to Hershey Gardens. In addition, the winner in the “Youth” (ages 5 to 9) category will get a four-pack of regular one-day tickets to Dutch Wonderland and a one-year ZooAmerica family membership, the “Junior” category winner will receive a four-pack of one-day admission tickets to Hersheypark and the “Adult” category winner will get a Falconry Experience at ZooAmerica. A “Best of Show” birdhouse will earn its entrant an extra $250. Second-place winners will be awarded $75 plus a one-year family membership to Hershey Gardens, third-place receives a $50 gift card to the Hershey Gardens gift shop. Other prizes will be awarded as well.
Winners will be selected on or before May 1, 2010. Visitors to Hershey Gardens will also be invited to vote for a “People’s Choice” Award (a one-year family membership to Hershey Gardens), which will be announced on or before September 30, 2010. All birdhouses included in the contest will be displayed at Hershey Gardens between May 1 and September 26, 2010.